Cardiff Blues Season Thread (Toulon fall in Cardiff)

[wales606]

First topic message reminder :

Keeping organised the ins and outs at the Blues leading into next season.

New Signing
Paetru Tamba (during the season)
Filo Paulo - North Harbour (confirmed)
Matthew Rees (confirmed)
Liam Davies (confirmed - until end of season)
Gethin Jenkins (confirmed)
Miles Normandale (confirmed)
Rhys Gill - Saracens (rumoured) Unlikely
Craig Mitchell - Exeter (rumoured) Unlikely
Adam Warren - Scarlets (rumoured)
Dan Lydiate - Dragons (mentioned) (rumoured)
Scott Williams - Scarlets (rumoured)
James Hook (rumoured - again)
Rodney So’oialo - Honda Heat (rumoured)
Aled Summerhill - Blues Academy
Ben Roach - Blues Academy
Ellis Jenkins - Blues Academy
Tom Pascoe - Blues Academy
Will Thomas - Blues Academy

Departures (all confirmed)
Jamie Roberts - Racing Metro
Ceri Sweeney - Exeter Chiefs
Tom James - Exeter Chiefs
Michael Paterson - Sale Sharks
Jason Tovey - Newport Gwent Dragons
Campese Ma'afu - Nottingham
Ryan Harford - Cardiff RFC
Nathan Trevett - London Welsh
Matthew Screech - Newport Gwent Dragons
Darren Harries - Scarlets
Jake Cooper Wooley - London Wasps
Cory Hill - Cornish Pirates
Petru Tamba - Unattached
Andi Kyriacou - Retired
Xavier Rush


Re-Signings
Alex Cuthbert (3 years)
Scott Andrews (2 years)
Josh Navidi (3 year)
James Down (unknown)
Andreus Pretorious (can't find the article...)
Marc Breeze (unknown)
Lewis Jones (unknown)
Lloyd Williams (3 years)
Tom Williams (3 years)
Rhys Patchell (3 years)
Sam Hobbs (?3 years?)
Rhys Williams (?3 years?)
Tom Davies (?3 years?)
Richard Smith (2 years)

[DeludedOptimistorjustDave]

Well done Cardiff beat the Europe champs and a shocking biased ref!

[whocares]

Well done cardiff, makes the group a little interesting now.

[wales606]

WOW!

Talk about a test of defence after last week!

Robin Copeland MOTM

Jesus there go my nerves

[The Saint]

Phew. On edge for you lot there. And Glasgow, don't say Cardiff don't do you any favours.

Sean Copeland MOTM....

[VinceWLB]

Glorious result.

[MarcusHalberstram]

Wow! Bravo Blues. Showed some guts in the last five mins too.

[BigTrevsbigmac]

Come on Exeter!

[flyhalffactory]

Good win blues.  Does Glasgow a favour does it not?

Certainly does do Glasgow a favour whey hey!!.......... Good win again for Cardiff and another one for the Rabo!

[Artful_Dodger]

Woah. What a result for the Blues.

[LeinsterFan4life]

I hope Copeland gets caped soon by ireland.

[TJ]

Well done Cardiff beat the Europe champs and a shocking biased ref!

will you stop whinging about the ref being biased. Its a load on nonsense and make Welsh supporters look really really stupid.

[rodders]

Wow amazing result! Well done Blues!

[asoreleftshoulder]

Great result,I had backed Toulon to win -11 but with 5 minutes left I knew they wouldn't do it so wanted Cardiff to beat them.Top result and really shakes up the pool.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

That ref joins others from his country at being incompetent. Still very well played Cardiff  

[George Carlin]

Phew. On edge for you lot there. And Glasgow, don't say Cardiff don't do you any favours.

 Wouldn't dream of it, Saint. Come on you mighty Blues!

[VinceWLB]

From losing to Zebre to this, amazing.

[Guest]

Well done Cardiff beat the Europe champs and a shocking biased ref!

will you stop whinging about the ref being biased.  Its a load on nonsense and make Welsh supporters look really really stupid.

Not sure how it makes me look stupid (as a welsh supporter)? The poster, yes. But me? No no no.

[TJ]

Fair enough Griff - apologies.

[asoreleftshoulder]

Well done Cardiff beat the Europe champs and a shocking biased ref!

will you stop whinging about the ref being biased.  Its a load on nonsense and make Welsh supporters look really really stupid.

Not sure how it makes me look stupid (as a welsh supporter)? The poster, yes. But me? No no no.

Just goes to show the strength of the Rabo League  

[Cardiff Dave]

YES!!!!!!!!!

CARDIFF RFC FLYHALF!!! IT'S GARETH DAVIES!

Copeland must start everygame

And take a bow Cory Allen

I don't believe it. I just don't believe it.
Fantastic!!!!
Not a great game, but who cares. WE WON!!!

[Guest]

Only messing TJ, I know what you meant! People tend to get tarred with the same brush often enough on here.

[Cardiff Dave]

Patchell again showing why he shouldn't be in the Wales autumn squad.

He's only 20 so I would give it at least a couple of seasons before he gets anywhere near the senior Welsh squad.
He defo had a Norton Knightmare today and he'll have a few more no doubt.

[wales606]

[quote="Cardiff Dave"]

Norton Knightmare

   

Nowhere near that bad!

[Cardiff Dave]

Norton Knightmare

   

Nowhere near that bad!

Aye you're right. I keep forgetting how bad SNK was.

[The Saint]

Well done Cardiff beat the Europe champs and a shocking biased ref!

will you stop whinging about the ref being biased.  Its a load on nonsense and make Welsh supporters look really really stupid.

Only if you're stupid enough to read too much into it, just like you have done.

[The Saint]

Patchell again showing why he shouldn't be in the Wales autumn squad.

He's only 20 so I would give it at least a couple of seasons before he gets anywhere near the senior Welsh squad.
He defo had a Norton Knightmare today and he'll have a few more no doubt.

This is what I've been saying, becuase he was pretty poor in Japan as well. Tovey is No.3 fly-half. I hope him and Lewis Evans finally get some Wales recognition this year, it's long overdue.

[Totalflanker]

Cracking result - well done Cardiff! Makes the pool very interesting. one win a piece if Glasgow pull it off tomorrow, Exeter in the driving seat if it goes the other way!

[Coleman]

BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!

[maestegmafia]

Patchell again showing why he shouldn't be in the Wales autumn squad.

He's only 20 so I would give it at least a couple of seasons before he gets anywhere near the senior Welsh squad.
He defo had a Norton Knightmare today and he'll have a few more no doubt.

This is what I've been saying, becuase he was pretty poor in Japan as well. Tovey is No.3 fly-half. I hope him and Lewis Evans finally get some Wales recognition this year, it's long overdue.

Feel like Rees is getting in the way of Jonny Evans who also shows serious promise.

[Coleman]

I hope i'm not alone in feeling that Breeze was an unsung hero for us today. I rate him very highly and would like see see him starting more.

[VinceWLB]

Breeze did well but for me Bradley Davies was immense in the front 5.
Bourrust pretty much saved the Blues' scrum when he came on.

[wales606]

I hope i'm not alone in feeling that Breeze was an unsung hero for us today. I rate him very highly and would like see see him starting more.

Breeze has had quite a few fantastic games, unfortunately, he follows them with some rather average ones.

I thought Bradley Davies and Copeland were fantastic today, equally Lloyd Williams in the backs.

Bourrust should really be our starting THP, I don't have a clue how Andrews and more importantly Filise! are ahead of him?

[Coleman]

I agree with Borrust, he's a good scrummaging prop and hasn’t had a long run of games. How we won the pen when Andrews got destroyed in the scrum and lifted off of the floor I will never know. Robin is just fantastic; I will be very upset when he leaves us for an Irish province. Very nice to have a good crowd at the CAP, be good if some of them turned up for the less high profile games after that game.

[doctor_grey]

This has to be the shock of the young Heineken Cup season.  I thought Toulon would simply turn it on after the half time break.
But Cardiff simply stayed around, stayed around, and stayed around some more and I started thinking this ain't bad, this ain't bad.  
Then, this wasn't bad.

Good result Cardiff peoples!

[wales606]

Ponty with a big win over London Welsh today as well,

Dale McIntosh must be having a good day

[Cardiff Dave]

I agree with Borrust, he's a good scrummaging prop and hasn’t had a long run of games. How we won the pen when Andrews got destroyed in the scrum and lifted off of the floor I will never know. Robin is just fantastic; I will be very upset when he leaves us for an Irish province. Very nice to have a good crowd at the CAP, be good if some of them turned up for the less high profile games after that game.

That puzzled me too. Also puzzling was the penalty awarded against 1/2p near our own try line.
Marvelous win however, but I have to say that Toulon seemed a tad under par. Reckon they didn't like the monsoon weather.

[Coleman]

For a prop that is the most embracing thing that can happen to you. Andrews technique must have been well off. Only ever seen it happen at amateur level.

[Notch]

For a prop that is the most embracing thing that can happen to you. Andrews technique must have been well off. Only ever seen it happen at amateur level.

So bad the referee penalised the loosehead for dangerous play!  

Absolutely delighted with this result. Brilliant stuff. Cardiff, Leinster and Ulster all giving the French a bloody nose on behalf of the Pro12- wins from Munster and Scarlets would round it off recently!

[Cari]

Congratulations Blues! No one was expecting that result I expect. Judging by the amount of people in town, looks like they had full attendance (or near enough) too. Our bus driver did well not to squash anyone on Westgate Street!  

[Cardiff Dave]

For a prop that is the most embracing thing that can happen to you. Andrews technique must have been well off. Only ever seen it happen at amateur level.

I must say that i've never seen anything like that before. It was a WTF? moment for me. I wasn't at the game and the incident was replayed in slo-mo on the telly. The commentators couldn't believe that Toulon were penalised as Cardiff's scrum was destroyed. From what I could make out it was for dangerous play I think, but what could the Toulon front row have done any different would be my question. Any props on this here forum that can shed any light?

[Cardiff Dave]

"Cardiff hit by flash flooding chaos on Saturday afternoon"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-24595500

Hoping for the same during the return fixture in sunny south of France.

[Jhamer25]

Wow, but im not going to lie, im not shocked by the win.
Just look at the Blues' team sheet, they have a strong team; fair to say they are 2 or 3 good signings away from being competitive again in Europe.
Bradely Davies and Gethin Jenkins were work horses aroung the pitch, both immense. But Copeland was the star, who ever spotted him out at the Blues from Rotherham must have a bluddy good idea. Why can't we find a player like him. Also a good young looking partnership brewing down Cardiff way I think. So glad that there is some good centers coming though.
Also Copeland, Welsh qualified soon by any chance

[wales606]

Also Copeland, Welsh qualified soon by any chance

Think we will have to wait a while,

Perhaps we should rap him in a Welsh flag and keep him away from the cameras whenever the Blues travel to Ireland?

[Cardiff Dave]

Wow, but im not going to lie, im not shocked by the win.
Just look at the Blues' team sheet, they have a strong team; fair to say they are 2 or 3 good signings away from being competitive again in Europe.
Bradely Davies and Gethin Jenkins were work horses aroung the pitch, both immense. But Copeland was the star, who ever spotted him out at the Blues from Rotherham must have a bluddy good idea. Why can't we find a player like him. Also a good young looking partnership brewing down Cardiff way I think. So glad that there is some good centers coming though.
Also Copeland, Welsh qualified soon by any chance

You must be the only person on the planet then who wasn't shocked.
Yes 2 or 3 good signings would make us more competitive, but on the other hand we are 2 or 3 injuries away from being uncompetitive. Strength in depth is what we lack and I would urge the Cardiff suits to release the necessary funds to bring in players of the same ilk as Copeland and Navidi ie not current internationals or expensive superstars, but good players who give their all nonetheless. Both of the aforementionment were magnificent yesterday as were our younger players, but I fear our scrum is the weakest link. We've needed a class TH for donkey's. Let's get one asap.

[Jhamer25]

Wow, but im not going to lie, im not shocked by the win.
Just look at the Blues' team sheet, they have a strong team; fair to say they are 2 or 3 good signings away from being competitive again in Europe.
Bradely Davies and Gethin Jenkins were work horses aroung the pitch, both immense. But Copeland was the star, who ever spotted him out at the Blues from Rotherham must have a bluddy good idea. Why can't we find a player like him. Also a good young looking partnership brewing down Cardiff way I think. So glad that there is some good centers coming though.
Also Copeland, Welsh qualified soon by any chance

You must be the only person on the planet then who wasn't shocked.
Yes 2 or 3 good signings would make us more competitive, but on the other hand we are 2 or 3 injuries away from being uncompetitive. Strength in depth is what we lack and I would urge the Cardiff suits to release the necessary funds to bring in players of the same ilk as Copeland and Navidi ie not current internationals or expensive superstars, but good players who give their all nonetheless. Both of the aforementionment were magnificent yesterday as were our younger players, but I fear our scrum is the weakest link. We've needed a class TH for donkey's. Let's get one asap.

I guess i am an optimistic person. I eve said before the game that Cardiff had a descent chances, still thought Toulon would win but
You are right though about 2 or 3 injuries away from being uncompetative but then agaisnt these days with the french teams, no other tm is going to have really strength in depth because no one can afford it anymore apart from the french. I mean imaging us with John Davies, Pristland, Liam Willimas, Ospreys without Alyn Wyn, Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard.
Your main priority though (as you said) is a strong scrummaging tighhead, i would recommend Pat Cilliiers.

[Jhamer25]

Also Copeland, Welsh qualified soon by any chance

Think we will have to wait a while,

Perhaps we should rap him in a Welsh flag and keep him away from the cameras whenever the Blues travel to Ireland?

Sounds like a good plan to me  

[XR]

Bradley Davies linked with Leicester, Gloucester and Saracens in the rugby paper this weekend. Out of contract this summer.

[brennomac]

All credit to the blues for turning over Toulon, and no doubt everybody outside Toulon has a feeling of schadenfreund about their humbling. Thought Toulon were pathetic, just let Wilko kick, kick and kick more. They were cocky, complacent and a team with all the hallmarks of a bunch of obscenely-paid mercenaries. Wonder how comic book guy feels after that and all the money he p1sses into that team - if Toulon now end up with an away QF then they are very beatable.

[TJ]

It blows the group wide open. Well done Blues. More unexpected results in the HC. Its what we like

[George Carlin]

Great game by the Blues - why has it taken until now to put that performance together? They can really kick on from here.

The Galactico bubble has been well and truly popped now. Glasgow will be thinking about what they can do to them at home.

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