French firepower proves too much for Blues

CARDIFF Blues will play in the Challenge Cup for the third consecutive season after defeat to Stade Francais in Friday’s play-off.

Blues raced into a lead with tries from Macauley Cook and Nick Williams but the hosts hit back as injuries engulfed the Cardiff outfit.

Blues coach Danny Wilson said: “It’s been a long, hard season and that was certainly a brutal way to end it. The number of injuries we had in that game made it pretty tough.

“We scored some good tries and played some good rugby, but ultimately we didn’t have the firepower to deal with what Stade had.”

After a tight opening quarter, with a penalty from Stade fly-half Morne Steyn the only score, Blues lit the match up.

Lock Cook scored the game’s opening try midway through the first half, finishing off a move started by centre Willis Halaholo.

Just three minutes later Halaholo broke clear again before No.8 Williams forced himself over. Stade hit back before the break with a try from powerhouse wing Waisea Nayacalevu and prop Giorgi Melikidze went over after the interval.

Stade then went up a gear, breaching the Blues defence for Mathieu de Giovanni to cross out wide.

Wing Sekou Macalou finished off a fine move to score Stade’s fourth before Blues hit back with Cook grabbing his second after latching on to a Gareth Anscombe chip through.

But Macalou crossed for his second before tries to Laurent Panis and Clement Daguin sealed victory.