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They Did It!

They Did It!
By Andrew Collins
January 20 2008
The Cardiff Blues are relishing their top place finish in European Cup Pool 3, knocking out pre-tournament favourite Stade Francais en route! The Blues nilled Bristol at home scoring 2 tries and 1 penalty to secure a top place finish and with it their passage to the Heineken Cup Quarter Finals.

From one thrilled Blues fan, to I'm sure many others, I'll say this; COME ON CARDIFF!

For the first time in 7 years, the Welsh capital has reached the quarter finals of the illusive cup, and there's nobody who can say we don't deserve it. Stade Francais, Bristol, Harlequins; the Blues topped the pack, and with those 3 in the pool, it's no easy feat.

Cardiff's win today was incredible, not just what it means, but just as a performance, we were superb. To go to the Memorial ground and win is a seriously good result, but to keep Bristol so far out of the match to the extent they didn't score a point, it makes me immensely proud.

Bristol were equally excellent in the first half, and were unlucky to go in 14-0 down at the break. The match was a deadlock until 38 minutes, when Maama Molitika picked up Bristol's own ball at a 5 metre scrum to claim the opening points. Then within 2 minutes, Gareth Thomas crossed in what was his finest performance since re-joining Cardiff.

It really was end to end stuff, a stunning match for the neutral, but until the final whistle went, I was on the edge of my seat.

Unfortunately, Dai Young's side were unable to get a third try which would have reversed the fixture from away to home against Tolouse, but nobody can hold that against them, as Cardiff finished 5th top seed out the 8 that qualified.

And there was more good news for Welsh rugby, as Cardiff are joined by 8th seeded Ospreys who face Saracens away, and will really fancy their chances. Congratulation to the O's, lets hope an all Welsh final at the Millennium Stadium is on the cards! I'm not sure what the exact facts are on this, but it's the first time in a very very long time that 2 Welsh sides have reached the QF's, lets hope both an make it to the Millennium in May.

Every player was immense for Cardiff, Alfie had a great match, but was perhaps piped to man of the Match by either Molitika or Sky's choice, Martyn Williams. He said after the game,

"As a team performance it was brilliant, we've fallen at the last hurdle before and it is nice to go through. We played some nice stuff and we would have taken that before hand. We should have scored more but we're happy to go through. We did find it difficult to get the ball off them and we knew the situation and that we had to score one more try but the conditions didn't allow us to put pressure on them."

So Tolouse in France it is, I'll be there, easy-peasy! "Cardiff Blues; Heineken Champions 2008", has a nice ring doesn't it!

Jenkins, G. Williams, Filise, D. Jones, Tito, Molitika, M. Williams, Rush, Spice, Macleod, J. Robinson, G. Thomas, Shanklin, J. Roberts, Blair.

G. Powell for Filise (71), Morgan for Tito (76), R. Thomas for M. Williams (80), Lewis for Rush (78).

Bristol (0) 0

Blues (14) 17
Tries: Molitika, Thomas
Con: Blair 2
Pen: Blair
Not Used: Rees, R. Jones, Selley
.

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