Cardiff Blues

[TRF_Cymro]

Deiniol Jones has confirmed his retirement due to shoulder injury.

 

[Jayatron]

The Cardiff Blues side that won the Amlin Challenge Cup in 2010, the Welsh regions only ever European trophy and possibly one of the best Welsh performances away from home, completely taken apart in one swoop

15. Ben Blair - Agen
14. Leigh Halfpenny
13. Casey Laulala - Munster
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Tom James
10. Ceri Sweeney*
9. Richie Rees - Edinburgh
1. Gethin Jenkins - Toulon
2. T Rhys Thomas - Wasps
3. Taufa'ao Filise - retired
4. Bradley Davies
5. Deiniol Jones - retired
6. Ma'ama Molitika - retired
7. Martyn Williams - retired
8. Xavier Rush

16. Gareth Williams - retired
17. John Yapp - Edinburgh
18. Scott Andrews
19. Paul Tito - retired
20. Sam Warburton
21. Darren Allinson - London Irish
22. Dai Flanagan - Ospreys
23. Dafydd Hewitt

*I'm surprised Ceri Sweeney wasn't on the list of departures, don't tell me he's managed to get another contract extension ... but interestingly Wikipedia it says he has signed for Russian side Krasny Yar, of course that is Wikipedia, but who knows it may have been edited by someone in the know, and he could have signed through the Kingsley Jones connection to Russia perhaps?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasny_Yar_Krasnoyarsk

Cardiff Blues next season
15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Harry Robinson
13. Gavin Evans
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Tom James
10. Jason Tovey
9. Lloyd Williams
1. Campese Ma'afu - West Harbour
2. Andy Kyriacou - Ulster
3. Scott Andrews
4. Bradley Davies
5. Lou Reed - Scarlets
6. Michael Paterson
7. Sam Warburton
8. Xavier Rush

16. Ryan Tyrrell
17. Scott Hobbs
18. Benoît Bourrust
19. James Down
20. Andries Pretorius
21. Rob Lewis - London Welsh*
22. Ceri Sweeney ?
23. Dafydd Hewitt

*rumoured signing according to this site
http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s170.htm?221,13203775

looks much much weaker I'm afraid, that bench looks pretty poor, and the front row as well is dreadful

Ceri Sweeney is to be rumoured to be playing for Pontypridd next year. Apparently a done deal.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Hate to be pedantic, but it was Chris Czekaj at 11 in the Amlin Cup win. If they can nab Huw Bennett, that'd be a step forward, but you couldn't blame him if he doesn't want to board the sinking ship. I reckon there's probably a couple more cheaper Welsh players and/or minnow internationals they could snap up, but all the same, until they can get a proper coaching team in, it's not going to bare any fruits. B&B is a fitting abbreviation, as they're a cheap and nasty alternative to the real deal.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Filise according to the TV reports may well be staying on another season.

 

[psychic duck]

Kingsley Jones interested in the Cardiff Blues job ... looks like he along with former Scarlets boss Phil Davies are the initial candidates

if I was the Russian team manager I would be annoyed at Kingsley Jones

why? because he seems to be on Scrum V every single week rather than watching the Russian teams play, and working with them

 

[Robert Prosser]

Kingsley Jones interested in the Cardiff Blues job ... looks like he along with former Scarlets boss Phil Davies are the initial candidates

if I was the Russian team manager I would be annoyed at Kingsley Jones

why? because he seems to be on Scrum V every single week rather than watching the Russian teams play, and working with them

Well he has not signed his new 4 year contract yet with the Russian's so there is a good chance he may want out of there and go to the Blues, they wont have anything to pay either for breaking his contract.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Some news to come out of the region in the last 48 hours.

"Cardiff Arms Park redevelopment to be considered by WRU." and "Cardiff Blues plan to play matches at Sardis Road in bid to embrace region."

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...pment-to-be-considered-by-wru-91466-31041556/

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...road-in-bid-to-embrace-region-91466-31039967/

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Big News coming out of the Blues is that Baber and Brunell have both had their contracts cut short. Happy Days!!!

 

[dullonien]

Big News coming out of the Blues is that Baber and Brunell have both had their contracts cut short. Happy Days!!!

If true, it means that the Blues board are allowing Phil Davies free reign to do what he sees fit, and that's great news.

 

[psychic duck]

B & B had become a joke, they simply had to go, in hindsight they shouldn't have ever been given more than a caretaker role

but how much damage have they done to the squad?

Phil Davies has a very hard task to rebuild this squad now after that large number of departures of influential players, and poor attempts to replace some of them (Ma'afu to replace Jenkins, promoting Gavin Evans to first choice to replace Laulala)

 

[Draggs]

Big News coming out of the Blues is that Baber and Brunell have both had their contracts cut short. Happy Days!!!

But... but.. they deserved it. They said so!
Gavlar returns...

 

[Robert Prosser]

B & B had become a joke, they simply had to go, in hindsight they shouldn't have ever been given more than a caretaker role

but how much damage have they done to the squad?

Phil Davies has a very hard task to rebuild this squad now after that large number of departures of influential players, and poor attempts to replace some of them (Ma'afu to replace Jenkins, promoting Gavin Evans to first choice to replace Laulala)

One would hope Davies can talk Henson in to a return but I think the owner may not allow that anyway back to topic we have to be happy hat they have both been told where to go I for one is over the moon.

 

[bushytop]

Yeah... Davies really needs to start pulling some rabbits out of hats.