THRILLING, BUT ANOTHER LOSS
CARDIFF Blues kept themselves in the hunt for a place in the Guinness PRO14 title play-offs and an automatic spot in next season’s Champions Cup despite losing to Glasgow Warriors for the fourth time this season.
The Blues picked up two precious bonus points during the 38-34 defeat at the Arms Park to move level on points with the fourth-placed Ospreys in Conference A.
The Welsh pair are four points behind Connacht, whose next match is against second-placed Glasgow.
The top three finishers qualify for the play-offs and, with the exception of South African franchise Cheetahs, would be guaranteed places in Europe.
Andy Howell assesses night’s 10-try thriller. Saturday
But it comes down to entertaining and the Blues are certainly doing that as they look to play with skills and width under Australian coach John Mulvihill.
They have crossed the whitewash 40 times this season in the PRO14, with left-wing Aled Summerhill grabbing a hat-trick against Glasgow. 10 jersey.
Evans is a classic Welsh outsidehalf in stature and has all the skills to back it up, having time on the ball, seeing things, able to run and create.
“I thought he was outstanding and he had come off the back of a heavy week with Wales,” said Mulvihill.
“He’s a really good attacking and defensive player and his kicking is improving all the time so he is becoming the complete player.” The Blues were the architects of their own demise by coughing up possession for three of Glasgow’s tries.
And Glasgow didn’t need a second invitation to strike because they’re a quality outfit and so clinical on the counter-attack.
They aren’t second in Conference A and in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup for no reason, and victory over Connacht in their next encounter in the PRO14 will see them have one foot in the title playoffs. The Welsh region have now beaten the Warriors just once in their last 15 clashes.
Glasgow were completing the quadruple over them this season, having done the double in the Champions Cup and winning in Scotland in the PRO14.
They have beaten the Blues in 21 of their 32 encounters and have won all eight games played against Welsh regions in all competitions this season.
They face Conference B high-flyers Edinburgh away next Saturday before hosting strugglers Southern Kings and the Scarlets.
Then it’s a trip to face Conference A leaders Munster and a potentially crucial clash with Connacht in Galway. Their final match of the regular season is the Judgement Day battle with the Ospreys at the Principality Stadium. Mulvihill reckons a play-off place could be on the line that day and it may turn out to be correct.