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The Hammer Era Begins


Cardiff Arms Park

By Andrew Collins
August 14 2014

When the Cardiff Blues take on Exeter at the Arms Park on Friday night, it will be the culmination of several weeks of pre-season hard work completed not by the head coach, Mark Hammett, but by Dale McIntosh and Paul John.  

Few could have predicted how poor the 2013-14 season would have been for the Blues. No one expected trophies, but equally the woeful form and inability to cross the try line came as a real disappointment to those of us who had spent the previous year watching the team. The 2012-13 pretenders were set to be the real deal the following year, with Phil Davies talking up the Blues’ chances after beating Worcester (away) and thumping Sale (home) in pre-season friendlies.

However, it wasn’t to be. The Blues became the first Pro 12 side to lose to Zebre when they went down at home in only the 3rd game of the season, losing 30-25. Then when Zebre completed the double over Cardiff, the misery was compounded. It proved to be Phil Davies’ last game in charge.

Having won just 4 of their 16 league games, Dale McIntosh and Paul John took over as join head coaches with 6 games remaining. If the season has been unexpected to this point, what followed was exceptional. 4 back-to-back victories over Ulster (H), Edinburgh (A), Scarlets (MS) and Connacht (A) sandwiched between away losses to Ospreys and Scarlets. Suddenly, things weren’t as bad as they seemed. It was the perfect tonic after a season from hell and has once again left fans feeling optimistic ahead of the new campaign.

The decision to overlook McIntosh and John in favour of Mark Hammett received mixed reviews. The incoming Kiwi comes with excellent pedigree and feels like a statement of real intent by the board, who took the brave decision to look outside of Wales for their new recruit. That said, the players’ response to Chief and John – and indeed the exemplary manner in which the pair conducted themselves both in front of the cameras and on the touchlines – perhaps warranted them being the job full time.

Indeed, this may prove to be Hammett’s biggest challenge – not just to integrate smoothly into the group, but to establish himself as the authority figure with a squad who openly declared their loyalty to Chief and John at the tail end of last season.

It’s been a very encouraging pre-season in many ways (of course not forgetting #StayStrogForOws) with a combination of both ambitious and sensible new recruits, with a lot of work going in to thoroughly prepare and integrate the squad. It seems to be a case of so far, so good. But the question is, will Hammett’s arrival rock the boat?

When the new look Blues kick off their season against Exeter on Friday, Hammett will be a spectator in the stands. It will also be the first time he sees any of his squad play live. He will need to utilise Chief and John in coming months, and how their relationship develops could have a profound effect on how the Cardiff Blues fare in coming years.

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The Hammer Era Begins
Discussion started by theArmsPark.co.uk , 14/08/2014 11:46
theArmsPark.co.uk
14/08/2014 11:46
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cardiff_steve
14/08/2014 20:41
If last preseason tells us anything, its that preseason games dont really tell us much.

Probably even more so this time around. I believe Hammett almost literally arrives just in time to see the game.

Im not sure our squad looks stronger than it did a year back. Some decent signings but a few players - high and low profile ones - I wish we could have kept.

I do have a lot more faith in the coaching staff now. Just hope the transition is smooth as possible.

ATTR
15/08/2014 08:52
I think we have fewer "stars" but stars don't play as much. We have strengthened but areas like Prop concern me. To see tonight's centre partnership is a worry. Surly the club knows their limitations by now. Preseason is about trying combinations.

However, Perhaps a new system is being tried and the men in possession of the shirts are being given first chance to show that they can make it work.

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