Northampton Do the Double

The Cardiff Bles have crashed out of the Heineken Cup with two games still to play after losing back to back matches against Northampton. It leaves the Blues just a slim chance of making the Amlin Cup for a second year running.

With fans still reeling from the hugely disappointing loss on Saturday, it may be worth reflecting on the games with fresh, slightly less pessimistic eyes. The Blues arrived at Franklin Gardens last week to take on a side unbeaten in both domestic and European competitions (bar an away loss to Saracens), who boast perhaps the most ferocious front row in club rugby. The Saints had been in majestic form and had a clean bill of health with a consistent and confident starting XV. By stark contrast, The Blues were missing their hugely influential and some might say unreplaceable full back Ben Blair, British Lions centre Jamie Roberts, the lethal Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny as well as hooker Rhys Thomas. In terms of consistency too the Welsh side have been plagued by international call ups over the November period, with 8 of Saturdays starting team selected for Wales or Scotland during a busy and bruising Autumn series. So the forum posts on this sites messageboard stating the Blues are a 'shambles' does to me at least feel a bit exaggerated. The arguments surroundig the stadium and board level isses are certainly cause for concern to say the least, and this is something that really was highlighted against Northampton with a crowd of just 7,000 emphasising just one of the problems with CCS, but as a side, these claims seem highly unfair. We all want to see the side progress year on year, but that is every teams ambition and so to be so worried about the state of the squad after what in all honesty was a valiant and brave performance against not only a very astute team, but a very poor ref seems the knee-jerk reaction of football fans. Yes we are all bitterly disappointed with the result and being out of the biggest and best club competition in the world, but how different would our attitudes have been I we had just pipped it at end or if that TMO decision had gone the right way? Let's not be too quick to give up on these boys, here ends the road to Heineken success, but begins our journey to Amlin glory in our home city and a Magners League double. Alles Les Blues!