Blue Monday
MULVIHILL’S MEN FAIL TO TROUBLE THE SCOREBOARD AS ERRORS LEAD TO THIRD SUCCESSIVE DEFEAT
CARDIFF Blues slumped to their third straight defeat last night, going down to Edinburgh in the Scottish capital.
A resilient Blues defence kept the scoreline modest but an error-strewn attacking display meant they rarely troubled their hosts.
The first half is not one that will live long in the memory.
In truth, the Blues made it easy for their opponents in the opening exchanges with basic errors and kicking the ball out on the full gifting Edinburgh field position.
Their stubborn defensive qualities came to the fore, though, and they largely handled whatever was being thrown at them with relative ease.
But the Scots edged in front inside the opening 10 minutes, when Blues prop Brad Thyer was pinged for interfering with play in an offside position and 20-year-old fly-half Nathan Chamberlain booted his first points of the night.
Will Boyde and Olly Robinson were winning penalties at the breakdown, giving their team a chance, but they were undermined by sloppy errors.
The pressure eventually told and an Edinburgh try came in the 23rd minute. The backs ran in to add their weight to a catch and drive but the Blues defended it well, forcing their hosts to break away.
But Edinburgh stayed patient and kept it tight before prop Lee-Roy Atalifo burrowed his way over, with Chamberlain adding the extras.
A stuttering Blues side couldn’t find any sort of rhythm or territory and it took them 38 minutes to force their way into Edinburgh’s 22.
A powerful carry from replacement Sam Moore – sent on when Boyde suffered a head knock – did some damage, but the joy was short-lived when Robinson fumbled the ball going into contact a few phases later.
That was the story of the Blues’ one and only visit into the red zone in the first 40.
Edinburgh led 10-0 at the break and John Mulvihill’s side hadn’t fired a shot.
A thick fog rolled over Murrayfield in the second half, making it virtually impossible to see what was happening on the field.
The Blues started the second 40 promisingly before fumbling the ball in the shadow of Edinburgh’s posts. It would be the closest they came to a point.
More errors from the visitors put Edinburgh in a good position and, 15 minutes into the second half, hooker Dave Cherry was at the back of a powerful driving maul that trundled over from close range.
The conversion was missed but Edinburgh really took control of the game as the number of Cardiff Blues handling errors bloated to uncomfortable figures.
A relentless period around the 65th minute saw the hosts camped on the Blues’ line with a series of lineouts and penalties.
But to their credit, the visitors survived the onslaught and should have gone up the other end for a try of their own.
Out of nothing, Hallam Amos was sent scything through the defensive line by Matthew Morgan but, inexplicably, he held onto the ball instead of drawing the last man and sending replacement scrum-half Jamie Hill over for what would have been a simple finish.
Edinburgh No.10 Chamberlain knocked over a late penalty after Robinson was penalised at the breakdown in the final play of the game.