By Andrew Collins
November 5 2005

A Blues team missing 11 players was unable to take more than a bonus point as Munster, also missing 11, stole an away win. Cardiff scored the only try of the match, but never looked likely to win the match.

Warren 7, R. Williams 7, J. Robinson 6, Stcherbina 5, Morgan 5, L. Thomas 4, R. Powell 7, M. Jones 6, G. Williams 6, B. Evans 6, D. Jones 6, Goode 7, Schubert 7, Molitika 8, A. Powell 8.

Dewdney (Warren 67) 6, Quinnell (Goode 62) 8, Lewis (Molitika 86) 6.

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The evening could be summed up by what happened in the first minutes of the match. A great start, for once, had seen Cardiff gather their kick-off and et up a good position 5 metres out. Attempts to cross by Lee Thomas, Ryan Powell, Gareth Williams and Maama Molitika were all blocked, and when the ref realised we were going backwards, gave a penalty for offside. Lee Thomas missed a sitter which technically ened up costing us the match.

It was a night in which the Blues could not find a way over the gain line, let a lone the try line. The team looked clueless in attack, and weak at the breakdown. Despite having the vast majority of possession, failure to show any class left the home team with nothing but a bonus point, as leaders Munster stole 4 vital away ones.

As rugby fans will know, the team revolves around the fly half, and last night, Lee Thomas was not up to it. Far too often he kicked away possession, his passes were slow and he failed to find touch with 2 or 3 penaltys. However, getting 11 of the teams 16 points, he did have a good night at goal after his first, and cruicial, miss.

There were few highlights to choose to report, but Marc Strchebina's first try for the region was one crumb of excitement for the 6,000 fans. After referee Peter Allan sin binned Munster prop Federico Pucciariello, Cardiff were able to find some space. Ryan Powell's fed early to Thomas who offloaded to Robinson, he made a great break deep into the 22, gave in the tackle to Stitch who held on to the ball instead of passing wide, and barged his way over from 7 or 8 metres. Thomas converted excellantly from out wide to bring the Blues witin a penalty at the death.

That signalled an onslaught of 'cheat tactics' from Munster. Every time the ball went dead, a new player would be injured or cramped up which allowed an army of Irish physios onto the Arms Park pitch. It was unfair and slowed down the game, taking the steam out of Cardiff atacks, but it was clever, and something Dai Young has to get his players doing when trying to win a match.

The last 10 minutes was all the Blues, but all in their own half. They just needed to get within goal kicking range for Lee Thomas to win the match, but having numerous counter attacks defended, Cardiff were all too good at knocking on and kicking away any possession they had.

They did not know any way to attack other than crash ball, and it wasn't working. Players like Ryan Powell, Jamie Robinson and Stitch were all to often trying to run through the man rather than spread the ball wide.

There was no offloading in tackles, except for the try, and so the Munster defence never needed to make many tackles. Players were running into defensive walls on their own, and either making very little room, going backwards or knocking on.

As ever tjis season, only big Maama and Any Powell were able to create anything, but a subs appearence from Craig Quinnell did prove very effective. One question you must ask Dai is that, if they were going to play crash ball, why was CQ not selected from the start? He's our biggest man, and once on was utalised very effectively. He played really well, looking strong with hand-offs and tackle breaking.

But despite their best efforts to creat something from their 22 in the last 10 minutes, the game pittered out without concern for Munster.

Cardiff Blues 16 Munster 18

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As Wales take on the All Blacks later today, we want to wish all the boys the best, and hope for a first win over them since 1953. Cardiff Blues stars, Mike Phillips and Rob Sidoli start the match, with Rhys Thomas, Robin Sowden-Taylor and Nick Robinson on the bench. C'mon boys!