Blues taken to the limit by dynamic Cheetahs
CARDIFF Blues kept their Champions Cup qualification hopes alive with a narrow victory over the Cheetahs at the Arms Park.
MATCH STATS...
Victory for Danny Wilson’s side saw them leapfrog Connacht in Conference A of the Guinness PRO14 as they bid to return to the top table of European rugby.
Tries from Ray Lee-Lo, Ellis Jenkins, Nick Williams and 10 points from the boot of Jarrod Evans was enough to see the Blues home.
The Cheetahs scored two tries of their own courtesy of Ox Nche and the outstanding Uzair Cassiem who was a constant threat with his dynamic ball carrying while Fred Zeilinga also kicked 10 points.
But the Bloemfontein based side, chasing a maiden away win since joining the PRO14 at the start of the season, pushed their hosts all the way.
The visitors made the perfect start when Nche powered his way over from short range for the opening try of the game.
The South Africans had won a penalty after stuffing the Blues scrum but instead of going for the posts they gambled and went for the corner.
Zeilinga extended the visitors’ lead with a penalty after the home side were adjudged to have illegally collapsed a driving lineout.
The home side finally awoke from their slumber when Lee-Lo finished a well-worked try at the right-hand corner after an initial surge by Aled Summerhill.
The situation went from bad to worse for the visitors when former Ospreys and Scarlets lock Rynier Bernado was sent to the sin bin for killing the ball at the breakdown.
The Blues opted to go for the corner and were rewarded when Wales squad member Jenkins crossed as a result of a powerful driving lineout.
Evans knocked over a further three points for the Blues after the Cheetahs had infringed at the scrum meaning the hosts turned around 15-10 to the good at half time.
Rory Duncan’s side came out of the blocks firing in the second half with Zeilinga narrowing the gap to just two points with a penalty from just inside the Blues half.
The visitors looked to have taken the lead when Nche intercepted before offloading to Uzair Cassiem who touched down.
But the try was disallowed after the television replays showed Nche knocking the ball forward.
The TMO was called into action soon after only this
time he awarded a try.
Powerful No.8 Williams smashed his way over the try line following a strong Cardiff scrum.
But like an annoying itch the Cheetahs would not go away as powerful big-striding No.8 Cassiem hit straight back for the South Africans with a try after the visitors had taken a quickly tapped penalty.
Evans extended the home side’s lead with a simple penalty in front of the posts after a period of sustained pressure in front of the try-line.
With the match deep into injury time the Cheetahs pounded the Blues line but the home side survived to record a vital win.