Regal Performance Key In Evening Parade

With their destiny firmly in their own hands now, the Cardiff Blues travel to Rodney Parade tonight knowing they could cement their place in the Magners League Play-Offs with a bonus-point win over arch-rivals the Dragons.

The 2010/11 season is unlikely to go down in history as a special year for Cardiff fans. Following 3 years of consistent improvements - including an EDF Cup as well as being crowned Wales’ first European champions – it seems the Blues have hit a rut.

Outplayed by the Irish teams in the Magners League, a virtual no-show in the Anglo-Welsh Cup and knocked out of Europe by a very strong Northampton side being perhaps the biggest disappointment. But it is more the style, or lack thereof, which the side has shown this season which is the long term worry.

Putting things into context, Cardiff Blues are undoubtedly up there as one of European Rugby’s top clubs. On paper, they have a strong starting XV boasting British Lions and All Black Internationals, while the performances over the past few years has made the rugby world take note. And all this just 3 years after being no-hopers in Europe’s top competition, including a losing streak of 10 games.

So is this year’s failure to build on the recent success a failure of the team, or just a mark of how far the club have come in a very short time?

My answer, both.

The current crop of talent is in another world compared to the sides of 2000-05. We have developed a strong core of players and have enjoyed a vast amount of success and good times. This should be cause to celebrate.

But although it looks as though there will be no silverware this season, there are indeed very few clubs that will be celebrating. Every single club in Europe is pushing on and trying to improve on last year. Ultimately, only one of them can be crowned European Champions and for the rest it’s back to the drawing board.

But for me, it’s not the lack of silverware, or even being knocked out of Europe by a very promising English unit that has me worried, it’s the manner in which we have lost and even won games.

I believe the season’s issues can be summarized by two columns in the Magners League table;

Tries Against; 26 – The 3^rd best defence in the league.

Tries For; 33 – Only Aironi, Treviso and Connacht has scored fewer tries.

So tonight, the Blues will be up against it if they are to score 4 tries and gain that all important bonus point. In only 3 games this season have the Blues managed to do that, while the opposition have managed 43 tries so far this campaign.

Looking at the stats, The Blues will win tonight, but they will do so in the same predictable manner in which they have claimed most of their wins – a tight defence, relative discipline and a forward unit that can maintain possession until the opposition infringe.

If we qualify for the ML Play-offs, we should rightly be please with the efforts. But the side will need a turnaround of epic proportions if they are to even threaten any of the Irish trio dominating the top of the table. But we’re not a bad team, and a turnaround isn’t impossible. Tonight could be the start of something very, very special, lets save the season reviews until all is said and done...

"Rugby's a mad game and it can only take a good 80 minutes from all the boys... I think that's all we're lacking around here at the moment is a little bit of confidence. We need just one game to really kick in and I think we could be away.”

Paul Tito.

Cardiff  Blues

Dan Fish; Chris Czekaj, Casey Laulala, Jamie Roberts, Tom James; Dan Parks, Richie Rees; John Yapp, Gareth Williams, Taufa'ao Filise, Bradley Davies, Paul Tito (capt), Michael Paterson, Sam Warburton/Ben White, Xavier Rush.

Rhys Williams, Sam Hobbs, Scott Andrews, Deiniol Jones, Ma'ama Molitika, Lloyd Williams, Ceri Sweeney, Dafydd Hewitt.