CARDIFF GIVE GUNNERS THE BLUES
Edinburgh: 0 (0) Cardiff: 20 (15)
Poor, poor, poor, poor, poor. Poor. Look up the word "inept" in your thesaurus, multiply it by the number you first thought of and you will get some idea of the sort of performance Edinburgh foisted on their supporters tonight. Sadly, after last week's blip against Connacht, the usual post-6 Nations collapse is alive and well.
It is genuinely difficult to recall anything of note in the home performance during this match. While Cardiff started proceedings with their foot firmly on the accelerator, Edinburgh were unable even to let off the handbreak. Cardiff looked every bit the Heineken quarter finalists, playing the game at tremendous pace, moving the point of attack well and scoring three cracking tries. With the improbably named stand off Dai Flanagan pulling the strings, they showed no signs of holding back before their big European match next weekend. Edinburgh had no answer to the Blues' speed of thought and execution, nor their physicality up front. While Tom Shanklin was awarded the man of the match, one felt that every bit as important to the visitors' victory was the ball carrying performance of New Zealander Xavier Rush at No 8. Cardiff won the battle of the back rows with something to spare.
Although the first quarter was scoreless, Cardiff were on the front foot throughout. After kiwi full back Blair put them ahead with a penalty on 20 minutes, James finally rewarded concerted pressure with a well-taken try on 23 minutes. The build up to the score showcased the difference between the sides tonight, quality offloading and quick ruck ball set up the overlap that James exploited. Blair knocked over the copnversion.
Cardiff stretched their lead on the half hour, winger Roberts skipping along the touchline for an unconverted try in the corner. 15-0 Blues at the half. Although referee Lewis did Edinburgh few favours in the first period or the second, there was no doubt that Cardiff were well worthy of their lead.
Edinburgh did put together a few phases of note in the early stages of the second half. Yet while a home ball carrier was driven over the enemy try line, poor positioning by Lewis meant that the referee was unable to adjudge whether a try had been scored. The ball was lost forward in a subsequent attack.
On 55 minutes, a telegraphed pass was intercepted by Cardiff, the ball being cleared to the Edinburgh 22. Once again, James took advantage of the overlap, off the subsequent lineout, a fine floated Shanklin pass putting the big winner in space for anmother unconverted try.
To Edinburgh's credit, though their play became ragged at times, their defence held firm to deny Cardiff their fourth, bonus-point winning try that would have been perfectly justified on the run of play. As it was, they ran out easy winners and leapfrogged their hosts in the league table as a result.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tom Shanklin.
SCORERS:
Cardiff: Blair 1P 1C, James 2T, Roberts 1T
TEAMS:
Edinburgh: Hugo, Webster, Cairns, De Luca, Houston, Godman, M. Blair, Kerr, Kelly, Smith, Mustchin, Hamilton, S. Cross, Hogg, Callam.
Blues: Blair, J. Roberts, Shanklin, G. Thomas, James, Flanagan, Spice, Jenkins, G. Williams, Filise, D. Jones, Tito, Molitika, M. Williams, Rush.
Referee: Lewis (IRFU)