Robin Sowden-Taylor breaks ankle as Cardiff Blues go down 18-16 to the Ospreys.
Gavin Henson playing at outside half kicked off the match and within minutes there was a crushing tackle by Tom Shanklin on Sonny Parker, which set the tone for a fiercely fought local derby. Henson kicked through to the Blues twenty two and Czekaj cleared, but a quick line out saw the Ospreys counter attack. When the ruck formed Shane Williams popped up and snuck around the edges, although his foot appeared to be in touch he had the pace to sprint in to touch down from 40 yards out.
The Blues then forced their way in to the Ospreys half and Martyn Williams gathered the ball at the back of the line. From the move the Blues were awarded a penalty in front of the posts that Robinson converted to claim the Blues first points of the evening. Cardiff Blues soon went ahead after the Ospreys delayed a throw in the line out. Mike Phillips took a quick penalty and passed out to Nick Robinson who put in a neat chip to Mosese Luveitasau. The Fijian winger used his speed and strength to come inside his man and slip a pass back inside to Nick Robinson who ran in under the posts to score and later convert his try to give the Blues the lead after 12 minutes.
The Blues soon had and opportunity to score again when Henson spilled the ball on the halfway line. Czekaj gathered shipped the ball out to Stcherbina who passed to Rhys Williams, the Cardiff Full back just failed to gather ball with no one in front of him. Soon after the Ospreys were awarded a penalty and Henson kicked to corner for line out, the ball failed to cross the touchline and Czekaj was first back, he passed to fellow winger Luveitasau who failed to clear. The Ospreys were awarded a scrum and Ryan Jones went round the back of the scrum and straight through to cross for a try, although it looked like Scott Morgan was obstructed when he attempted to tackle. Henson once again missed the conversion. Cardiff hooker Rhys Thomas went off with a dead leg and was replaced by Duane Goodfield and minutes later Nicky Robinson dropped a goal at the stroke of half time to once again give the Blues the lead.
Half Time Ospreys 10 Cardiff Blues 13
The second half started with the same intensity as the first when Xavier Rush hacked the ball through after a knock on by the Ospreys. Shane Williams gathered the ball but the referee didnt award the scrum to the Blues and the Ospreys broke away with some powerful running from Sonny Parker. Under pressure in his own twenty two Mike Phillips showed great strength to rip the ball from the Ospreys and as a ruck formed Phillips was on hand again to pass ball out to the backs. Stcherbina showed great hands with his pick up and pass and Czekaj showed his pace to round Shane Williams before the move broke down. Another crunching tackle by Shanklin, who was looking sharp after his lay off, saw the ball knocked on. Deiniol Jones picked up and passed to Rush who was tackled just short of the try line. The Ospreys were awarded a scrum and Henson managed to clear.
On the hours mark Bradley Davies came on for Deiniol Jones and the Ospreys were awarded a penalty in front of posts that Henson converted to bring the scores level at 13-13. The Blues nearly took the lead when a lovely chip through by Phillips saw Luveitasau sprint over the try line and appear to ground the ball first the referee awarded a drop out to 22.
Rhys Williams who had suffered groin strain was substituted for Nick Macloed and Prop, Gary Powell came on for Duane Goodfield as a blood replacement, which saw uncontested scrums and Gary Powell throw in at the lineout. The travelling Cardiff Blues supporters amongst the 10,020 crowd had something to cheer when Nicky Robinson dropped in to the pocket and struck a clean drop goal to give the Blues the lead on 72 minutes.
Their joy didnt last for long as a big up and under drifted backwards and cruelly for the Blues the ball bounced to Richie Pugh. He latched on and managed to sprint to the corner to score and give the Ospreys the lead in the dying minutes of the game. Henson once again missed the conversion and it ensured a nail biting finish with the score at 18-16.
The lowest point for Blues supporters however was yet to come. Robin Sowden-Taylor who had come on in place of Martyn Williams landed awkwardly and was carried off on s a stretcher. It was later confirmed that the popular flanker had broken his ankle and with the referee blowing his whistle minutes later it was a very disappointing end to the evening for the Cardiff Blues.
Wednesday 13 September 7.35pm Magners League
Ospreys 18 v Cardiff Blues 16