Cardiff Blues
Biarritz Vs Blues Facts
Biarritz Vs Blues 2004
By Andrew Collins
December 10 2008
Ahead of Saturday’s huge Pool 6 showdown with Biarritz, I take a look at how the Welsh region are likely to fare in the south of France, whilst also taking a look at the group standings and what the Blues need to do to qualify.
Previous Meetings
Cardiff travel to France this weekend top of their Heineken Cup group, with 14 from a possible 15 points, one of just two teams left unbeaten this season. The Blues have already beaten Italian minnows Calvisano on the opening weekend, they then registered a 5 point victory over Gloucester at the Millennium stadium, before last weeks lacklustre 21-17 win over the French outfit at the Arms Park.
Cardiff and the Cardiff Blues have an interesting history with Biarritz, initially being drawn in the same pool together back in 02/03, during the Welsh sides record run without a Heineken Cup victory. In the opening fixture of the season, Cardiff lost the home match 15-26, before being crushed in a 13-try hammering, 75-25 in France.
They were drawn together again the following year, as Cardiff enjoyed their first season as a region. That year, the home side won 35-20 at Parc De Sports Aguilera, before falling to a crushing 21-20 defeat the following weekend at the Arms Park. That victory saw the Blues win their first European Cup match in 10 games, and only came as a result of Dimitri Yachvili missing an easy conversion to win the match, with literally the last touch. The photo at the top of this page sees Ryan Powell celebrating after that last gasp victory.
But Cardiff's 21-17 win last Friday night made it 3-2 overall in Biarritz's favour, who now must defend themselves from a third successive loss to the Blues in the European Cup.
Team Records
- Should the Blues win this Saturday, they would have a perfectly equal history in the competition, as they currently have 37 wins, 38 losses and 3 draws from 78 matches.
- Cardiff Blues are currently enjoying their finest run of victories in the competition, winning the previous 4 matches. If they manage a win in France on Saturday, it will be their best ever string of European results.
- Cardiff's biggest loss came in the 75-25 defeat at Parc De Sports Aguilera in 03/04. That remains Biarritz biggest victory.
- The French side have only ever lost 2 out of 28 home European Cup matches.
- Biarritz have never scored more than 1 drop goal in a European Cup match (Leicester 2004), while Nicky Robinson scored 2 last week.
- Both sides have been Heineken finalists before, Cardiff in 95-96 and Biarritz ten years later.
- Biarritz are ranked 3rd in the ERC European Rankings on 24 points, while Cardiff are 17th with 10.
Individual Records
- Martyn Williams will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance
- Cardiff Blues have scored more points than any other team in the Heineken Cup so far this season, with 114.
- Ben Blair is currently second in the individual points scored leader board, with 53, one point behind Toby Flood on 54.
- However, he is the best place kicker thus far, scoring 19 conversions and penalties, 3 ahead of Clermont's Brock James on 16.
- Leigh Halfpenny is joint 2nd in the overall Top Try scorer's rankings; he's registered 3 tries this season, while Tommy Bowe has 4 - all of which came last weekend against Treviso.
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Stumbleupontito will need to get in their faces and under their skin .
like he did most of last season.a lot will also depend on spice and nicky, drop goals will be good again this week.
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