CARDIFF COACH STAYS POSITIVE
CARDIFF head coach Matt Sherratt was proud of his team’s efforts as they went down fighting against a star-studded Racing 92 outfit in Paris.
It has been a tough first block of the season for Cardiff, who have lost all four of their Investec Champions Cup fixtures and lie 12th in the United Rugby Championship.
But there have been some green shoots with the emergence of the likes of Mackenzie Martin, Efan Daniel and Cameron Winnett.
“On the whole I’m immensely proud of this group, not just this evening but for the past 13 weeks,” said Sherratt.
“It’s been a long block, and we played some really good rugby against some really good teams.
“We based the first block of this season on making sure that we show fight, and making sure people enjoy watching us play. The boys kept going until the end, and scored two tries to get ourselves a bonus point away at Racing.
“On the whole I’m immensely proud of the players but I think now there’s a four-week break.
“That’s where we can take a breath and take stock of some of the learnings that we talk around in terms of our young players. We can focus on that.”
Racing ran in seven tries in Paris. Sherratt’s side caused their hosts problems with ball in hand, but could not cope with the raw power and the intensity of the Top 14 leaders.
The gulf in playing budgets and all-round resources between the French giants and the Welsh club was stark.
It is a credit to Cardiff that they made such a fist of it against one of the wealthiest clubs in world rugby, but the visitors did not have the power nor the depth to come close.
There were some positives with Wales U20s hooker Efan Daniel showing promise while Rhys Carre had a fine game.
Racing seized the initiative in the opening 10 minutes with their big carriers getting over the gain-line comfortably.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi looked as if he was through for the opening try but the hosts were penalised for crossing and had to make do with three points from the boot of Nolann Le Garrec.
But Cardiff responded well with their own period of pressure. The Blue and Blacks won a foothold in Racing territory with some powerful carries from Martin and lock Teddy Williams before Carre powered over from close range for a try which Tinus de Beer converted.
But Racing’s power began to make dents in the Cardiff defence, and after forming a maul hooker Camille Chat crossed the visiting try line.
However, the try was disallowed after the television match official spotted obstruction at the proceeding maul.
But Racing didn’t have to wait long for their opening try when a welltimed cross-kick from Antoine Gibert found Kitione Kamikamica who finished in the corner.
Racing’s pack had a clear ascendancy, and after a series of powerful carries Kolisi forced his way over for a try.
Wales lock Will Rowlands was the architect of Racing’s third try when he charged-down Tomos Williams’ box-kick. The ball was then put through the hands for Inia Tabuavou to score in the corner.
But just when it looked as if Racing were cruising, Ben Thomas sliced open their defence before drawing in the final defender to put Wales scrum-half Williams over for a try which meant Cardiff trailed 20-12 at the interval.
But Racing blew their visitors away with a ruthless 10 minutes after the break.
After Carre had done well to track back and stop a try, Williams failed to find touch with his exit. This allowed Tristan Tedder to run in unopposed from 45 metres.
Racing were in no mood to take their foot off the gas and they put Cardiff under more pressure when Le Garrec took a quick penalty. The ball found former England wing Christian Wade on the outside who showed tremendous agility and pace to evade the clutches of Mason Grady to score.
And Racing were at it again when a wonderful cross-kick from Gibert was tapped back inside by Juan Imhoff before Tabuavou put Maxime Baudonne over.
Cardiff grabbed a consolation try when Williams charged-down Tedder’s clearance kick to score, and they got a bonus point when a lovely offload from Owen Lane put de Beer over.
The Welsh club were reduced to 14 men when Aled Summerhill was sent to the sin-bin for being caught offside in his own 22. And Racing rubbed further salt into Cardiff ’s wounds with Yanick Tarrit touching down for their seventh try.
EUROS Evans breathed a huge sigh of relief after his Llandovery side got the job done against nearest Indigo Premiership challengers Ebbw Vale at Church Bank in a match they could – and perhaps even arguably should – have lost.
But the sign of a good team is to win when you’re not firing on all cylinders and the champions did that, just as they did against Pontypridd in their previous match a fortnight earlier.
Ebbw’s 25-17 triumph in the reverse fixture at Eugene Cross Park back in October remains the only blemish on Llandovery’s otherwise winning record in league and cup so far this season.
And had fly-half Evan Lloyd – normally so clinical from the kicking tee – taken either of the two penalty opportunities he was presented with in the last five minutes, it would have snatched a stunning win for the Steelmen and completed a dream double.
But he was unable to do so and the Drovers held on. But only just.
“Conditions made it difficult and it was never going to be a big margin for either team, so just delighted to get over the line and it’s four important points for us,” said Llandovery head coach Evans.
“We were 14-3 up at half-time, which was probably a few points short given the strength of the wind.
“We got to 17-3 and looked comfortable and then they came back in and made it really difficult for us with two tries.
“They could have nicked it with a penalty late on but we managed to grind out the win which was pleasing.”
There had been a hint of revenge in the air in West Wales heading into this clash between the Indigo Premiership’s top dogs.
Lloyd kicked the visitors ahead but hooker Craig Thomas’ try, converted by full-back Jack Maynard, along with a first-half penalty try, had the Drovers 14-3 to the good at the interval.
Maynard extended that lead with a penalty after the restart, but the Steelmen fought back in the second half. They were awarded a penalty try of their own before lock Dylan Bartlett went over.
Lloyd missed the conversion and with it the chance to level matters. And then, agonisingly for Ebbw, he was unable to take advantage after Llandovery were twice penalised, handing Ebbw a shot for victory.
As it was Llandovery held on for another narrow home win, their 10th league victory on the bounce since that defeat in October and a 14th win from 15 overall this season.
Having started the weekend two points clear, Llandovery are five points clear of Ebbw with two games in hand.
“The performance was really pleasing and we had two kicks to win it in the last five minutes,” said Ebbw head coach Jason Strange. “It was a game we should have won, if I’m honest.”
There will be a third instalment though, with the two sides locking horns again on March 2 at Aberavon in the semi-finals of the WRU Premiership Cup.
“One of the focuses of this week was definitely to make sure we got this result and go into the cup semifinal with one win each,” added Evans. “We now look forward to hopefully a drier day and a nice track at the Talbot Athletic Ground.”
And given where the two clubs currently are in the table, a potential fourth meeting in the playoffs could yet prove to be a title showdown.