The Christmas period has always seen large attendances at the Arms Park and this game proved no exception, with a Celtic League record breaking crowd of 12,488 turning up to watch the match.
Christmas is also a time for giving and the Cardiff Blues gifted the Dragons a late Christmas present in the first minute of the match. The Blues knocked the ball on from the kick off and allowed Dragons scrum half Gareth Cooper to race around the defence and pass to Nathan Brew who scored in the corner.
Ceri Sweeney kicked one penalty for the visitors and Nicky Robinson kicked two for the Blues before producing a moment of magic. The Blues won a scrum just inside the Dragons half and as the ball went out to Robinson the No.10 chipped over the Dragons defence, hacked through and touched down to score a great individual try that he converted. It wasnt long before the second try was scored when the ball was spread wide from a ruck and Craig Quinnell passed to Craig Morgan to score in the corner. Sweeney and Robinson kicked a penalty each and the Blues third try came just before half time. Nicky Robinson kicked the ball deep in to the Dragons half and Jonah Lomu chased and turned the young Dragons winger Gareth Chapman. The ball emerged and was spread out wide that eventually saw Ryan Powell cross over in the corner to bring the score on the break Cardiff Blues 26 Newport Gwent Dragons 11.
Half Time
Cardiff Blues 26
Newport Gwent Dragons 11
The second half got off to a blazing start with Rhys Williams taking the ball up field, a brilliant floated pass from Martin Jones saw Jonah Lomu sprint over the line to score his first try for the Cardiff Blues, much to the delight of the crowd. It wasnt long before the next try was scored when the Cardiff Blues hooker Rhys Thomas scored a try only to see him namesake for the Dragons score. A period of pressure from the Dragons followed and they were soon on the scoreboard again when Jon Bryant scored, converted by Ceri Sweeney to bring the scores to Cardiff Blues 36 Dragons 23. It was the Cardiff Blues however who got the final score as the ball went out wide on the left and Jonah Lomu slipped a lovely pass inside to Rhys Williams who raced over to score and seal the victory.