Navidi leads from the front as clinical Blues capitalise on Edinburgh mistakes

CARDIFF Blues set up a home Challenge Cup quarter-final with Pau as Edinburgh shot themselves in the foot with an error-strewn display at Murrayfield.

Blues had plenty of joy with their kicking game to go to the break in control thanks to tries from Ellis Jenkins and Blaine Scully, both of which came from Edinburgh mistakes.

And with Wales flanker Josh Navidi producing an outstanding individual display, Blues made the last four with Jarrod Evans kicking two crucial second-half penalties.

“It just goes to show how much hunger and attitude there is in our squad,” said Navidi.

“We defended for the last 15 minutes on our own line and to come out with the win is great.

“It was full on out there at times, but our defence was great and with the jacklers we have, we kept the pressure on over the ball and it helped slow down their possession.

“From one to 15 it was a massive performance from us including the replacements and we have a big couple of weeks now to finish off the season.”

Evans, picked to kick ahead of Gareth Anscombe, was awry with an early penalty effort before George Earle was forced off injured to be replaced by Seb Davies.

A scrappy opening quarter saw Edinburgh’s Jaco Van der Walt finally break the deadlock after Navidi was penalised for not rolling away.

Blues hit straight back with a bizarre score.

Evans chipped to the corner and although Nathan Fowles looked like he had things covered, the home scrum-half made the cardinal sin of turning

his back on the kick.

The ball promptly rebounded off his neck and into the hands of Jenkins who grabbed his fourth Challenge Cup try.

Another Edinburgh error then allowed the Blues a second score. This time it was Anscombe who put a grubber through which left the Scots at sixes and sevens.

Full-back Blair Kinghorn couldn’t collect and Scully was the beneficiary as he dived over following Rey Lee-Lo’s pick-up and pass.

Evans nailed both sets of extras from wide out for a 14-3 half-time away lead.

Edinburgh’s nightmare first period was summed up by Fowles tapping and going just before the break when a three-point attempt would have been a much better option.

Blues had 73 per cent of the first-half territory, and Van der Valt and Evans exchanged kicks when the game resumed.

Still, it was Blues who had the better of the game as Edinburgh failed to land a blow save for one Kinghorn break as Evans put the final nail in the home coffin with another penalty.

Edinburgh were given hope when Jenkins was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on and tempers flared after a touchline skirmish, but Blues held on and were deserved winners.

Edinburgh lock Fraser McKenzie said: “Credit to the Blues, they were very good over the ball and Josh Navidi deserved his man of the match. Our body height in contact wasn’t good enough.

“We are incredibly disappointed and every game between now and the end of the season is a final for us.”