Blues back to winning ways with Cuthbert a late try hero

CARDIFF Blues attack coach Matt Sherratt admitted emotions were running high as Alex Cuthbert left a bad week and a trail of defenders behind him in this thrashing of Treviso.

The much maligned Wales wing scored a try and set up another as Cardiff kept alive slim Champions Cup hopes.

Steven Shingler grabbed a try as part of a 22-point haul as the Blues ran-riot to score six second-half tries after Ian McKinley and Angelo Esposito gave the Italians hope.

But Willis Halaholo, Kristian Dacey, Sion Bennett, Matthew Morgan and Cuthbert earned the Blues’ first league win since boxing day.

“It was one of the only times I’ve gotten quite emotional when he made that break because he tries so hard and puts in so much work off the pitch,” said Sherratt.

“To see him get his rewards and hear the crowd get behind him was brilliant – it’s just what he deserves. It’s no surprise either, he can do things no other wing in the world can do.”

Nick Williams spotted space around the fringes of a ruck and powered through to kick off the scoring from 30m out.

Shingler added the conversion, but former Osprey Tito Tebaldi landed a pair of penalties to cut the gap to a single point after 14 minutes.

Shingler restored the four point lead before the Arms Park was stunned into silence when McKinley capitalised on lazy defending to give Treviso a 13-10 lead.

Blues stormed back downfield to go in with an advantage at the break. Gareth Anscombe snuck over to the blindside and used neat footwork to fix two defenders and offload for Scully to score. Shingler added the extras for a 17-13 lead at the break.

The Blues then ran riot. Morgan burst through a hole in the opening minute of the second half to set up Shingler, before the centre tore down the left flank moments later to provide Bennett his first Blues try.

Morgan then collected a clearing kick and jinked his way past seven defenders and offloaded to Kristian Dacey to score.

Cuthbert showed his raw speed to leave two defenders in his wake to gift Halaholo a try before Morgan grabbed the seventh try.

Cuthbert then put a difficult week and a trail of defenders behind him when he burst through on a devastating angle and charged 50 metres to score.