Cardiff Blues 36 London Wasps 20

by

in

A crowd of 10,237 turned up to watch the Blues take on Wasps.

During the initial opening exchanges, it was Cardiff Blues setting the pace of the game and looking the more likely side to open the scoring. Ben Blair created an early overlap opportunity that should have led to a try for the home team. However, during the move, a Wasps hand knocked the ball back only for the referee to stop play for a perceived Blues knock-on awarding the visitors a scrum. The Blues soon saw the fruits of their labour when Scott Morgan picked up men outside him and passed out to Blair who was tackled just short of the line. However he popped up the ball to Gethin Jenkins who was on his shoulder to cross the try-line. Ben Blair converted. The Blues were building momentum and a turnover by the forwards and quick ball by Nick Robinson all the way out to Czekaj, saw him beat his man he passed out to Blair and Mark Lewis nearly scored in the corner.

Wasps also were looking dangerous and Josh Lewsey was always a threat with some deceptive running but the Blues defence stood firm. Wasps attacked again down the left with Voyce showing his pace.
For the Blues Rhys Thomas was looking sharp in the loose and on the fringes of the rucks and Martyn Williams was also getting in the face of the opposition

From a ruck, Wasps managed to spread the ball out wide, Josh Lewsey threw a dummy and managed to wriggle his way over to score a try in the corner converted by Staunton to equal the points at 7-7 after 22 minutes.

Jeremy Staunton made a break from his own twenty two, and after breaking the first line of defence he ran half the length of the field and the ball went out to Paul Sackey. He managed to pop a pass out to subsitutue James Brooks who scored and the try was converted again by Staunton7-14.

A lovely chip from Nick Robinson to Shanklin who moved the ball up-field before the Blues were eventually awarded a penalty when Wasps drifted offside. Blair stepped up to covert and brought the score to 10-14. After some solid build up excellent hands and a swerve by Martyn Williams saw the ball emerge to Czekaj who had the pace to leave the opposition behind and touch down for the try. Blair converted once more but with a drop goal by Staunton the score on the break was 17-17

HALF TIME CARDIFF BLUES 17 LONDON WASPS 17

Early in the second half Mike Phillips came close to scoring and was held up just short following a Cardiff Blues line out on the Wasps 22. However when the ball was recycled Nicky Robinson snatched a quick drop goal to take the lead once more. Robinson however was soon back in defence to save the day and did well to stop the ball going over the Blues try-line for a scrum v and Blair eventually cleared. Staunton soon kicked another penalty to level the scores but Ben Blair kicked a further two penalties to give the Blues a 26-20 lead in a very tight match. A lovely break by Nick Macleoad saw him break in to the Wasps half and if Luveitasau could have hung on to a difficult ball it would have been a certain try, however we didnÂ’t have to wait long.

The Blues attacked through Shanklin who threw a long pass out to Blair, he drew his man perfectly and timed his pass for Luveitasau to sprint in at the corner in the 76th minute, Blair converted. Wasps didnÂ’t give up and still attacked but Blair soon added another penalty to take the score to 36-20 and secure a convincing win over the current Anglo Welsh Champions.

Latest news