Cardiff secured a try-scoring bonus-point with a spirited performance in the opening round of the European Challenge Cup. 

The Blue & Blacks travelled to Lyon on the back of a bonus-point victory over Dragons in the United Rugby Championship and opted to refresh their squad with an eye on next week’s home encounter against Toyota Cheetahs.

They led by nine-points after 14 minutes thanks to tries from Josh Adams and Danny Southworth before Lyon took control of the encounter.

The hosts scored five tries to secure their first win over Cardiff in five attempts but the Blue & Blacks battled all the way and further scores from Ellis Bevan and Gabriel Hamer-Webb ensured they did not leave France empty handed. 

They now return to Cardiff Arms Park, where they host the South African outfit on Saturday, December 14 at 20:00.

Matt Sherratt made 11 changes for the European Challenge Cup encounter, opting to give some of his internationals a deserved break and others an opportunity to impress.

One of those was Steff Emanuel, who became the club’s youngest player in 30 years of European competition and it did not take long for the 18-year-old centre to show his vast potential. 

In a frantic start to a highly entertaining encounter, Cardiff struck first with Emanuel showing a slick pair of hands to release Tinus de Beer, who put Josh Adams away for his first try of the season. 

De Beer converted from the touchline but Lyon, quickly hit back with a stunning team try, launched by a cross kick and also including a fine grubber and offload for Ethan Dumortier to cross.

The hosts failed to land the conversion and Cardiff stretched their lead following a sustained period of pressure after kicking a penalty to the corner. The Blue and Blacks showed plenty of patience as they went through the phases with Southworth burrowing over for his first score in Cardiff colours.

De Beer was again on target, making it 5-14 after 14 minutes but Lyon threatened on every occasion they had possession with their gargantuan pack giving a backline growing in confidence plenty of front foot ball. 

Sherratt’s side were defending well and twice held the hosts at bay, first with some superb work from Dan Thomas, holding up possession after a monstrous rolling maul. Minutes later they stopped the French side again, appearing to drive them into touch but surprising play continued and they were denied an opportunity to clear. 

The pressure eventually told as Lyon went to the backs with danger men Dumortier and Davit Niniashvili continually causing problems and Alfred Parisien eventually skipping inside a number of defenders racing across. 

Martin Meliande converted to bring the hosts two points of within the Blue & Blacks.

Both sides continued to threaten in attack and Lyon took a deserved lead in the closing stages of the half. 

They kicked another penalty to the corner and after France international Dylan Cretin failed to charge over from a set-play at the back of the line out, play was flashed back left with slick hands sending fellow Les Bleus star Dumortier over for a second. 

Meliande failed from out wide and Tinus de Beer was forced off for a HIA in the break. 

Lyon continued to flex their forward muscle in the second-half and another penalty kicked to the corner set up the bonus-point try. 

They took the line out and rumbled over with Yanis Charcosset the scorer. Meliande converted to put his side in a commanding position but Cardiff stuck in the encounter. 

Some fine defensive work from Emanuel put pressure on Lyon close to their line and when they tried to run the ball out they were caught. 

Jacob Beetham intercepted but with plenty of traffic around him, he was held up and dragged over the line. 

That resulted in a five-metre scrum and following a solid set-piece and a number of pick and goes, Bevan dived over. 

Sheedy converted to bring Cardiff within touching distance and they took the lead with a fine try on 61 minutes.

A lovely delayed pass from Emanuel released Lee-Lo – 20 years his senior, and the Samoan tore into the French half. He was unable to find support initially but soon released Harri Millard, who had just come on to replace Beetham. 

When the wing was brought down the ball was spread through the hands to the left wing, with Adams putting fellow wing Hamer-Webb over.

The try gave Cardiff a minimum of a try-scoring bonus point and while Sheedy’s conversion drifted agonisingly wide, they held a two point lead. 

Frustratingly, it did not last well as Lyon managed to get a hand to flick back the restart. It bounced into the hands of a charging Arno Botha and South African broke one tackle before offloading to Esteban Gonzalez, who raced clear. 

Meliande converted the try and added a pair of penalties in the final quarter to secure the win.

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