Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000222 EndHTML:0000010385 StartFragment:0000002716 EndFragment:0000010349 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/gwydiongriffiths/Desktop/cardiff%20blues%20v%20london%20wasps%20match%20report.doc
A superb bit of skill from Dan Fish saw the opening try of the evening. From a Blues scrum the ball was passed to the right where Fish took a superb angle and threw a dummy to wrong foot Chris Bell. He then showed his pace to out sprint Elliot Daly to touch down. Gareth Davies added the extras.
Tommy Bell slotted two penalties back for the visitors and despite the conditions with the rain lashing down at the Arms Park both sides were looking to run the ball.
The young Blues backs were showing great enterprise with Dan Fish and Tom Williams shining to name but two. A good break down the right saw Williams gather his chip ahead, before flicking the ball back inside to Lewis Jones. However, the Blues were penalised as the move broke down and it was Wasps who struck again.
Elliot Daly showed some superb pace to sprint through the midfield, and then arch round Dan Fish who put in a despairing tackle as Daly slid over in the corner to score. Bell missed the conversion but added a further penalty before the break.
Half time Cardiff Blues 7 London Wasps 14
Davies and Bell exchanged penalties early in the second half before the Blues struck again.
A well worked move saw the ball pass through the hands of the backs inside the Wasps twenty two with Dan Fish putting in a well timed pass for Tom James to sprint in on the left. Sweeney hooked the conversion to bring the score to 15-17 with twenty minutes left.
A Kick ahead by Ceri Sweeny was hacked on by Tom James and it was a sprint to the ball between James and Daly, with the Wasps fullback just getting there first and Wasps recovered 5 metres out from their tryline.
However, the try came soon after. Rob Lewis, who had come off the bench, did well to use his power to gain ground into the Wasps half. When the ball was recycled it was Sweeney, also off the bench, who showed his power to force his was over the tryline under the posts, taking two men with him. Sweeney converted to bring the score to 22-17 with 10 minutes left.
It was a nerve wracking ending with Wade Christian hacking the ball downfield past Rob Lewis but Sweeney did well to race back and dive on the ball, metres out to prevent the try, and the Blues clung on to victory.
Cardiff Blues 15. Dan Fish 14. Tom Williams (70off) 13. Owen Williams 12. Gavin Evans 11.Tom James 10. Gareth Davies (55off) 9. Lewis Jones (62off)
8. Robin Copeland 7. Josh Navidi (c) 6. Luke Hamilton 5. James Down 4. Lou Reed (70off) 3. Taufa’ao Filise 2. Rhys Williams (66off) 1. Sam Hobbs (66off)
16. Marc Breeze (66on) 17. Nathan Trevett (66on)18. Ryan Harford 19. Macauley Cook (70off) 20. Thomas Young 21. Rob Lewis (62on) 22. Ceri Sweeney (55on) 23. Dafydd Hewitt (70on)
London Wasps 15. Elliot Daly 14. Christian Wade 13. Chris Bell ?12. Lee Thomas? 11. Jack Wallace ?10. Tommy Bell ?9. Jonah Holmes??
8. Billy Vunipola?? 7. Sam Jones ?6. Tinus Du Plessis ?5. Marco Wentzel (c) ?4. James Cannon ?3. Phil Swainston 2. T Rhys Thomas? 1. Simon McIntyre?
?
16. Nathan Morris?17. Tim Payne?18. Will Taylor?19. Dave Hughes 20. Matt Everard?21. Charlie Davies?22. Tom Varndell? 23. Hugo Southwell
Cardiff Blues
Tries Fish x 1 James x 1 Sweeney x 1
Con Davies x 1 Sweeney x 1
Pen Davies x 1
D/G
London Wasps
Tries Daly x 1
Con
Pen Bell x 4
D/G
Attendance: 7,046
Yellow Cards: