Cardiff Blues v Gloucester

[An Tarbh]

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Cardiff Blues v Gloucester
Date: Sunday 19 October 2008
Venue: Millennium Stadium
Kickoff - 15:00, Live Sky Sports/Sky Italia</div>

Xavier Rush's knee injury will keep him out of Cardiff Blues' Heineken Cup clash with Gloucester in Cardiff.

The number eight is also unlikely to feature the following week when Leicester visit in the EDF Energy Cup.

Saturday's match at the Millennium Stadium has also come too soon for Blues wing Tom James (groin).

Blues coach Dai Young has suggested he will largely stick with the side that got a 56-20 bonus win in Calvisano in last Saturday's Heineken Cup opener.

"Selection is a headache at this stage of the season, that shows how inconsistent we've been," said Young.

"We were disappointing at Sale, but the players who got the nod for Calvisano all put their hands up and showed that they want to hold onto the jersey."

Rush has played just 40 minutes of rugby this season, against Connacht in the Magners League.

Talisman Rush was a key member of the Blues side that qualified for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals last term.

The All Black back-row, who also inspired the Blues to runners-up spot in last season's Magners League, underwent an operation in August after tearing the cartilage off the back of his knee cap.

Ross Johnson, Rhys Williams and Sam Warburton remain on the Blues' long-term injury list.

"We're in the right frame of mind for Gloucester, but we know they will be a totally different kettle of fish to Calvisano, better in every department," Young told BBC Sport Wales.

"But we have a more or less full-strength squad and we'll be going in confident, with a smile on our faces."

Gloucester will also be in confident mood after opening their Heineken Cup campaign with a 22-10 win at home to Biarritz.

BBC Sport

 

[dullonien]

Blues have to win this if they have any hope of qualifying. Loosing at home is a no-no in the Heineken. The way things have gone so far this season, no-one knows which Blues will show up, the scoring at will kind, or the drop the ball ever 5min kind. Hopefully the former.

 

[RC]

Was planning on going to see this in the Millennium, but i forgot that if the cardiff blues dont play great try running rugby, they usually end up living up to their nickname Cardiff Bluezzzzzz.
Ospreys are exactly the same in this respect, only i support ospreys so i can sit thru those awful games...i can't do it with other teams.
Still £10 for a game's not bad.

 

[cyRil]

Yup, great price. That's why I'll be heading there with about 20 mates! Should be a good'un!

 

[Incredible Schalk]

The Blues look good to me, i think they can do better than the Ospreys, maybe get to the semis. Its obviously tough to get out of the group but they have a nice mix of Welshmen(if thats possible) and foreigners, the likes of Molitika. So yea i'll go with the Blues to get a bp B)

 

[Cymro]

Blues will fail, you heared it here first!

 

[dullonien]

This sounds like a hell of a game. The Blues sound devastating in attack, though both teams making a few mistakes.

Ht Blues 27:17 Gloucester

 

[Sir Speedy]

High scoring game, this. 27 - 24 to Cardiff. Nearly 50 minutes gone.

 

[dullonien]

Nicky Robinson get's the bonus point try for the Blues.

34-24

 

[dullonien]

And a yellow carrd for Gloucester, looks like it's all over as the Blues should have a 13 point lead with 10min remaining.

Mistake from the restart aswell, not gone 10m.

 

[dullonien]

There we go, Blues win with a bonus point and stopping Gloucester getting a poin out of the game.

Perfect start to the Heineken cup from the blues, two games, maximum points. With another home tie agains Biarritz next, it's looking good for the Blues so far.

 

[Cymro]

We start well but fall towards the end ... wheres Danny when you need him ?

 

[RC]

Not very many responses for this thread which is a shame because it was one of the best games of the weekend.
Ben Blair had a stormer and the commentators coudn't stop verbally-masturbating over Powell. Tries were coming from all over the field and it was like watching a super 14 game.
Fantastic fluidity throughout the game and in the end Cardiff just showed that they had more class.

 

[Prestwick]

Saw the highlights and where the hell did Cardiff come from?! Surely Glaws must be feeling a bit of deja-vu from last season. I'll be laughing if they draw Munster at home again! :lol:

 

[Cymro]

Leigh Halfpenny and Shane Williams on the wing anyone?

 

[Prestwick]

Continue on this form and they'll easily match last year's progress. Can they maintain that magical form though?

 

[Thingimubob]

Very impressed - went to the match, and had decent seats too (not as good as the bloody huge Gloucester contingent though!). Halfpenny was great, can see Gatland calling him up for the AI, think he should defiantly start vs Canada. Andy Powell may be looked on as a replacement for Jon Thomas too, he did play well - btut there's still a lot of flaws to his game, which teams like South Africa and the All Blacks will easily take advantage of. But anyway, great performance by the Blues, and a superb game overall, great atmosphere in there too. Shanklin had a shocker though! Can see him losing his place to Jamie Roberts or Jamie Robinson in both the Blues and Wales team.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Oct 19 2008, 11:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Continue on this form and they'll easily match last year's progress. Can they maintain that magical form though?[/b]

Hopefully, they have a habit of fluffing it up. Am looking forward to Biarritz in the Arms Park, which should be a cracker!

 

[RC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Oct 19 2008, 11:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Leigh Halfpenny and Shane Williams on the wing anyone?[/b]

Woah, hang on, the kid's only 19. Let's not sing his praises yet.
Anyway, what happened to Tom James?!

 

[dullonien]

Tom james is injured unfortunately. Leigh Halfpenny's the form wing so far this year (yes, in better form than Shane Williams, had more chances though). I'd definately have him in the squad, and play him v Canada as Thingimubob said. He's not ready for any of the SASAR nations, but there's immense potential there. Great goal kicker aswell, can always come in handy!