Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
By Worried of Whitton
October 8 2009
Harlequins travel to Cardiff to kick off their 2009 – 2010 European Campaign against The Blues. Kick on Saturday October 10th is at 13.35 pm at the newly built Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff v Harlequins kick off Pool 5 on Saturday, while the other two clubs in the pool Toulouse and Sale meet on Sunday in France
October 8 2009
Harlequins travel to Cardiff to kick off their 2009 – 2010 European Campaign against The Blues. Kick on Saturday October 10th is at 13.35 pm at the newly built Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff v Harlequins kick off Pool 5 on Saturday, while the other two clubs in the pool Toulouse and Sale meet on Sunday in France
Six months after writing the match preview for Quins last Heineken Match the quarter final match against Leinster at The Stoop, I m back with the first preview of this year’s competition. Certainly a lot has happened in the intervening period, Leinster went on to win the trophy, whilst Quins descended into ignominy of Bloodgate. Last season’s competition was no fun for Cardiff either, they still have the painful memory their exit in the semi final at the hands of Leicester in that controversial penalty shootout, which Leicester won 7-6 after the teams reached stalemate at 26 all after extra time. Whilst the introduction of a new penalty shootout format in the later stages of the completion has been welcomed, Cardiff will always be the saddled with the fact that they are the only team not to have been beaten in a Heineken Cup campaign yet never to have won the trophy. Despite their 100% record in last year’s completion, they were out. Dai Young the Cardiff coach has to look forward, what happened last year (to both clubs) is now history. “It’s a question of solely of whether we can front up again. The new system with three designated kickers certainly makes sense. There is no easy way to settle these things, but it has to be better to rely on the regular kickers.”
The worry over penalty shoot outs are probably the least of Cardiff’s worry’s as they prepare for this week’s match. Cardiff, have suffered a dip in form so far this season .Like Harlequins, they have just one win in five games to show for themselves which is a poor start to the season. Both teams will be looking for a win on Saturday. The performances of Toulouse and Sale have also been poor and so there is a lot to be gained by starting with a win.
Cardiff will be pleased by the news of the return of Jamie Roberts from a neck strain., and hope that he will repeat his Lions performance and help increase the potency of the Cardiff attack, something they need to do if they are to progress. Cardiff has been hampered by a string of injuries as well as a lack of a fly half after the departure of Robinson to Gloucester in the summer. Replacement Norton-Knight has been the butt of abuse from the crowd. Whilst Cardiff can boast the midfield paring of Roberts and Shanklin, the Cardiff pack is severely depleted, with Jenkins and Williams both in need of operations on their shoulders. Rush and ex Quin Molitika are also out at the moment.
After their poor start to their season Harlequins players and supporters alike were ecstatic after Saturday’s narrow and late win over Bath. The team never gave up and with the memories of the climax of last year’s Heineken home game against Stade Francais still fresh in the mind Harlequins never gave up and their determination was rewarded by a fine try by Nick Easter that even had the Sunday Times correspondent Chris Jones praising Harlequins for the first time. After the shenanigans of our last Heineken match it will be interesting to see the reception Harlequins receive in this year’s competition. Certainly the team will want to give a good account of themselves and with Pool 5 the toughest of the six pools to call, with none of the teams performing particularly well at the moment a winning start is required. Currently Harlequins are tenth in the Premiership, Cardiff are eighth in the Magners league, with both teams along with Sale, winning just one match from five, Toulouse are in fifth place in the French Top 14 with five wins from nine games, and a poor game when they were beaten by Toulon a few weeks ago.. Quins can do well in this Pool providing they can reproduce their performances of last season, and we certainly hope that the quarter final decider will go down to the last matches of the Pool.
A close match to call with both teams anxious to succeed, both teams have struggled of late but equally both teams have the resources to pull themselves round and be contenders for Pool winners.
Come on You Quins!
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Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: ComeAllWithin.co.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 11:15
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Re: Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: The Prof (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 11:16
Cheers WoW
Re: Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: Jammy Git (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 11:17
Wasn't it Stephen Jones, not Chris Jones?
Re: Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: Pawlo (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 11:35
"ta" WoW... and I do like the new catch phrase "Kick on Saturday" very much!!!! 
Re: Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: The Prof (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 14:19
Will Greenwood's preview of Cardiff Blues v Harlequins in the Heineken Cup
This weekend the 15th season of the Heineken Cup kicks off.
The blue touch paper is sure to be lit on a rugby season that until now has rather struggled to capture the imagination and heights post the epic Lions’ test matches in the summer.
Not to say there haven’t been moments of magic and quality, but one thing you can be assured of with the Heineken Cup is that things are likely to go a notch or two better, especially with the autumn internationals just around the corner.
As the Heineken Cup reaches this landmark season, it is astonishing to think back to where it all began, in an unheralded sea-side town of Constanta in 1995.
Since then, it has grown to the point where it is now almost international standard and showcases the very best talent in world rugby in front of passionate crowds.
Claiming the Heineken Cup in the spring remains the ultimate prize for all 24 of the teams involved in the competition and we can be assured of quality, dynamism, plenty of twists and turns and many more memories before the champions are crowned at the Stade de France in May.
Quins’ season got up and running last weekend with a victory over Bath that said an awful lot about the courage and commitment they had in spades to take a game that they really shouldn’t have won.
Their resolve will surely be tested even further this weekend as they travel to Cardiff for their first game in the competition since the summer’s shameful events that for a period engulfed the whole game of rugby.
Whether or not they should be participating in this tournament this season is now largely irrelevant, but you can rest assured that everywhere they go they will be faced by an element of school boy jokers dressed as Dracula.
Their focus and mental strength will need to be rock solid on every occasion, and their first hurdle will be this Saturday lunchtime in South Wales.
For all the Londoners’ rhetoric that they are digging deep, I would be truly staggered if they come through this year and win anything.
It would be almost unbelievable if they can put their troubles to one side and challenge for any of the trophies.
Fortunately for Quins, they face a Blues side first up that cannot buy a win at the moment, following a terrible start to the season that continued with a defeat against Glasgow last weekend.
They have been missing four world class players whose absence would almost certainly cripple any side and without Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Roberts, Xavier Rush and Martyn Williams the Cardiff team becomes human, as opposed to the super-human outfit that we saw progress to the semi finals last season.
The good news for Cardiff fans is that one of the quartet, centre Jamie Roberts, has been passed fit and his battle with the Quins Number 10, the class act of Nick Evans, promises to be epic.
The New Zealand fly half will look to mastermind a victory in the vein of the two over Stade Francais during Quins’ glorious pool stage performances last season, and with his vision and control, anything is possible. Roberts, meanwhile, will be aiming to pick up where he left off from his spirited performances for the Lions in South Africa, and ensure that the All Black is required to deal with his attacking threat time and time again for the 80 minutes.
Supporting Evans in midfield will be the Argentine Gonzalo Tiesi who, in the absence of Jordan Turner Hall, has become the lynchpin around which so much of Quins’ best work originates.
The Puma provides the power, attacking threat and, most importantly, more structure to the backline that will run out at Cardiff City’s stadium on Saturday.
Whilst waiting in the wings ready to pounce on any opportunity will be England stars Ugo Monye and the seemingly perennially injured David Strettle, who is firing again just in time for a shot at selection for Martin Johnson’s autumn international squad.
With their varying problems, both clubs would settle for any kind of win at this stage of the competition, especially as all roads seem to lead to Toulouse in this group.
The other clubs in the pool will need to string together a series of wins that starts to apply the pressure on the three-time winners if they are to pip the French aristocrats to the quarter final spot come January, If Quins were to hold aloft the Heineken Cup trophy come May you would have to question the sporting gods’ sense of humour, but for now they would settle for a straightforward, controversy-free victory over the Blues to kick-start their European campaign.
This weekend the 15th season of the Heineken Cup kicks off.
The blue touch paper is sure to be lit on a rugby season that until now has rather struggled to capture the imagination and heights post the epic Lions’ test matches in the summer.
Not to say there haven’t been moments of magic and quality, but one thing you can be assured of with the Heineken Cup is that things are likely to go a notch or two better, especially with the autumn internationals just around the corner.
As the Heineken Cup reaches this landmark season, it is astonishing to think back to where it all began, in an unheralded sea-side town of Constanta in 1995.
Since then, it has grown to the point where it is now almost international standard and showcases the very best talent in world rugby in front of passionate crowds.
Claiming the Heineken Cup in the spring remains the ultimate prize for all 24 of the teams involved in the competition and we can be assured of quality, dynamism, plenty of twists and turns and many more memories before the champions are crowned at the Stade de France in May.
Quins’ season got up and running last weekend with a victory over Bath that said an awful lot about the courage and commitment they had in spades to take a game that they really shouldn’t have won.
Their resolve will surely be tested even further this weekend as they travel to Cardiff for their first game in the competition since the summer’s shameful events that for a period engulfed the whole game of rugby.
Whether or not they should be participating in this tournament this season is now largely irrelevant, but you can rest assured that everywhere they go they will be faced by an element of school boy jokers dressed as Dracula.
Their focus and mental strength will need to be rock solid on every occasion, and their first hurdle will be this Saturday lunchtime in South Wales.
For all the Londoners’ rhetoric that they are digging deep, I would be truly staggered if they come through this year and win anything.
It would be almost unbelievable if they can put their troubles to one side and challenge for any of the trophies.
Fortunately for Quins, they face a Blues side first up that cannot buy a win at the moment, following a terrible start to the season that continued with a defeat against Glasgow last weekend.
They have been missing four world class players whose absence would almost certainly cripple any side and without Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Roberts, Xavier Rush and Martyn Williams the Cardiff team becomes human, as opposed to the super-human outfit that we saw progress to the semi finals last season.
The good news for Cardiff fans is that one of the quartet, centre Jamie Roberts, has been passed fit and his battle with the Quins Number 10, the class act of Nick Evans, promises to be epic.
The New Zealand fly half will look to mastermind a victory in the vein of the two over Stade Francais during Quins’ glorious pool stage performances last season, and with his vision and control, anything is possible. Roberts, meanwhile, will be aiming to pick up where he left off from his spirited performances for the Lions in South Africa, and ensure that the All Black is required to deal with his attacking threat time and time again for the 80 minutes.
Supporting Evans in midfield will be the Argentine Gonzalo Tiesi who, in the absence of Jordan Turner Hall, has become the lynchpin around which so much of Quins’ best work originates.
The Puma provides the power, attacking threat and, most importantly, more structure to the backline that will run out at Cardiff City’s stadium on Saturday.
Whilst waiting in the wings ready to pounce on any opportunity will be England stars Ugo Monye and the seemingly perennially injured David Strettle, who is firing again just in time for a shot at selection for Martin Johnson’s autumn international squad.
With their varying problems, both clubs would settle for any kind of win at this stage of the competition, especially as all roads seem to lead to Toulouse in this group.
The other clubs in the pool will need to string together a series of wins that starts to apply the pressure on the three-time winners if they are to pip the French aristocrats to the quarter final spot come January, If Quins were to hold aloft the Heineken Cup trophy come May you would have to question the sporting gods’ sense of humour, but for now they would settle for a straightforward, controversy-free victory over the Blues to kick-start their European campaign.
Re: Preview: Cardiff v Harlequins (HC)
Posted by: amstel (IP Logged)
Date: 08/10/2009 18:45
8 October 2009, 4:20 pm
Rush returns to boost Blues
Cardiff Blues Number 8 Xavier Rush has been passed fit to play in this Saturday's Heineken Cup clash against Harlequins at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Rush, who dislocated his finger in the win over the Scarlets had a successful operation and now has been given the go ahead by medial specialists to play on Saturday.
Speaking of the announcement Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby David Young said,
“Xavier underwent a successful operation on his finger and was given the all clear by the medical team.”
“It's great news that he has recovered so quickly and is a real boost for us ahead of the big match against Quins.”
Tim Atter the Cardiff Blues Physiotherapist has worked hard with the players all week and the Blues are also boosted by the news that Ben Blair, Jamie Roberts, Sam Norton-Knight, Richie Rees and Taufa'au Filise have all recovered from minor injuries picked up last week.
Speaking of the selection Young added,
“Selection is a responsibility that I do not take lightly and it's always difficult to make choices especially ahead of big games.”
“The front row of Gary Powell and T Rhys Thomas pushed very strongly for inclusion and are unlucky to miss out in the starting XV.”
“Deiniol Jones is always near being selected in a starting spot but we felt that Bradley Davies gives us extra carrying capacity for this match.”
“I feel very sorry for Robin Sowden Taylor who has played exceptionally well for us so far this season, but we picked Sam Warburton at Openside because of the back row balance at the line out.”
“In the backs Richie Rees had shaded it and there were tough choices to make in the back three.”
“We felt Tom James was our most potent attacking back last season and it was a difficult choice for the other wing berth with Richard Mustoe and Gareth Thomas playing really well and Leigh Halfpenny working really hard to recapture his form after some minor injuries.”
15 Ben Blair 14 Gareth Thomas 13 Tom Shanklin 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Sam Norton-Knight 9 Richie Rees
8 Xavier Rush 7 Sam Warburton 6 Andy Powell 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa'au Filise 2 Gareth Williams 1 John Yapp
16 T Rhys Thomas 17 Darren Morris 18 Gary Powell 19 Deiniol Jones 20 Robin Sowden Taylor 21 Gareth Cooper 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Leigh Halfpenny
Tickets for this year's competition are available now starting at only £20 for unreserved seats and £40 for family tickets (two adults two juniors) in the Family Stand.
Tickets are available online on www.cardiffblues.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office eon 0845 345 1400
Rush returns to boost Blues
Cardiff Blues Number 8 Xavier Rush has been passed fit to play in this Saturday's Heineken Cup clash against Harlequins at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Rush, who dislocated his finger in the win over the Scarlets had a successful operation and now has been given the go ahead by medial specialists to play on Saturday.
Speaking of the announcement Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby David Young said,
“Xavier underwent a successful operation on his finger and was given the all clear by the medical team.”
“It's great news that he has recovered so quickly and is a real boost for us ahead of the big match against Quins.”
Tim Atter the Cardiff Blues Physiotherapist has worked hard with the players all week and the Blues are also boosted by the news that Ben Blair, Jamie Roberts, Sam Norton-Knight, Richie Rees and Taufa'au Filise have all recovered from minor injuries picked up last week.
Speaking of the selection Young added,
“Selection is a responsibility that I do not take lightly and it's always difficult to make choices especially ahead of big games.”
“The front row of Gary Powell and T Rhys Thomas pushed very strongly for inclusion and are unlucky to miss out in the starting XV.”
“Deiniol Jones is always near being selected in a starting spot but we felt that Bradley Davies gives us extra carrying capacity for this match.”
“I feel very sorry for Robin Sowden Taylor who has played exceptionally well for us so far this season, but we picked Sam Warburton at Openside because of the back row balance at the line out.”
“In the backs Richie Rees had shaded it and there were tough choices to make in the back three.”
“We felt Tom James was our most potent attacking back last season and it was a difficult choice for the other wing berth with Richard Mustoe and Gareth Thomas playing really well and Leigh Halfpenny working really hard to recapture his form after some minor injuries.”
15 Ben Blair 14 Gareth Thomas 13 Tom Shanklin 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Sam Norton-Knight 9 Richie Rees
8 Xavier Rush 7 Sam Warburton 6 Andy Powell 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa'au Filise 2 Gareth Williams 1 John Yapp
16 T Rhys Thomas 17 Darren Morris 18 Gary Powell 19 Deiniol Jones 20 Robin Sowden Taylor 21 Gareth Cooper 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Leigh Halfpenny
Tickets for this year's competition are available now starting at only £20 for unreserved seats and £40 for family tickets (two adults two juniors) in the Family Stand.
Tickets are available online on www.cardiffblues.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office eon 0845 345 1400
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