No-one is hurting more than us, says Dai after defeats
CARDIFF coach Dai Young has responded to fans’ criticism after back-to-back derby defeats against the Scarlets and insisted: ‘No-one is hurting more than us’.
The Arms Park side conceded a combined total of 84 points in their two losses to their Welsh rivals, leading some sections of their support to voice open displeasure with recent performances.
A strongly-worded statement by the Supporters’ Trust called recent displays “appalling” and “shameful”, while also hitting out at the perceived sense of comfort in the Cardiff squad - with most of the players contracted for at least another year as part of a deal that saw players take a pay cut during Covid.
That perception was likely only strengthened when Young sent a warning shot to his side last week, saying many were playing for their futures in the coming months. However, he’s now explained why he made those comments as well as addressing the fans’ frustrations.
“Nobody is hurting more than the coaches, staff and players,” he said. “We can totally understand the frustrations and disappointment of supporters.
“That’s something we have to take on the chin and the only way we can rectify that is go out and put performances out on the field. We’re hurting just as much as them but we’ve got to take the emotion to one side and look at the reality of the situation.
“Over the last three games, I thought we played really well for 40 minutes against Glasgow which was enough to get us the win. We played really well down at the Scarlets for 25 minutes and then obviously our game fell away as they dominated areas.
“Then for 35 minutes on the weekend, we were the better team. After 70 minutes, it was 28-14. If it had ended there, we would still have been disappointed to lose at home, but it was certainly the last 10 minutes that was really disappointing.
“Even with a hooker and centre on the flank, we still should have been better than we were. The main thing for me is to look at those periods in games where we’re playing well and try figure out why we can’t maintain that for 80 minutes.
“That’s where we are. “Regards to the comments, if you followed us for long periods, you’d understand that those comments were made on the back of people thinking there’s a comfort zone here.
“There’s no comfort zone here. We’re no different to any other professional outfit where coaches, staff and players have to deliver otherwise they’re under pressure.”
Young will now be hoping that a change of competition can provide some fresh impetus, with Cardiff travelling down the M4 for a Challenge Cup round of 16 match against Saracens on Easter Sunday.
Having previously had success in the competition, the Arms Park side know only too well what a run deep into the latter stages of Europe can mean. However, they’re also fully aware of the challenge facing them this weekend.
“In cup rugby, you get one opportunity,” added Young. “A team like Saracens is going to focus your mind as there’s a fear factor there.
“If you don’t play anywhere near your standard, it’s going to be a long afternoon for us. We’re really looking forward to it and it’s a great opportunity for it to show we’re not as bad as some are suggesting.”