Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh - build-up, teams, banter and live match day thread

[George Carlin]

First topic message reminder :

No thread about this yet (I don't think), so let's get this started:

7 September 2012
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park
Kick off: 7.05 pm
Coverage: live on BBC Wales

Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell, Jason Langdon (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU)
TMO: Neil Ballard (WRU)

Teams:

Blues:

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Gavin Evans
12. Dafydd Hewitt
11. Tom James

10. Ceri Sweeney
9. Lewis Jones

1. Taufa'ao Filise
2. Rhys Williams
3. Benoit Bourrust
4. Bradley Davies
5. James Down
6. Josh Navidi
7. Sam Warburton
8. Andries Pretorius (c)

Substitutes:

16. Marc Breeze
17. Nathan Trevett
18. Thomas Davies
19. Lou Reed
20. Luke Hamilton
21. Lloyd Williams
22. Rhys Patchell
23. Thomas Williams

Edinburgh:

15 Greig Tonks
14 Lee Jones
13 Nick De Luca
12 John Houston
11 Tim Visser

10 Greig Laidlaw (c)
9 Richie Rees

1 Allan Jacobsen
2 Ross Ford
3 Geoff Cross
4 Grant Gilchrist
5 Sean Cox
6 David Denton
7 Roddy Grant
8 Stuart McInally

Substitutes:
16 Andy Titterrell
17 John Yapp
18 Willem Nel
19 Perry Parker
20 Netani Talei
21 Chris Leck
22 Gregor Hunter
23 Sep Visser

Unavailable:
Ben Atiga (hip)
Tom Brown (hamstring strain)
Ben Cairns (knee)
Steven Lawrie (knee)
Matt Scott (pre-season)
Steven Turnbull (shoulder)

This game is always a cracker and lovely to be back at the spiritual home of the Blues.

Form:

1. Cardiff:

Blues, of course, began the new season with a 13-9 victory in Connacht.

They won both matches they played at the Arms Park last season (against Connacht and Ulster) and won their opening two encounters last season.

2. Edinburgh:

Edinburgh had to settle for a losing bonus point in their reversal to Munster at Murrayfield last Saturday.

Amazingly, Edinburgh's only away win in their last 19 trips in the PRO12 was at Treviso last November. Edinburgh hasn't won in Wales since a visit to Scarlets on 4 December 2009.

The Blues have won their last four games against Edinburgh Rugby in the RaboDirect PRO12, whilst Edinburgh have been victorious on four of their last five visits to the Arms Park.

[RDW]

Has Laidlaw left his kicking boots on the beach?

[Cari]

Filise (?) told off for not binding the scrum. Laidlaw sends the penalty wide though, so temporary relief for the Blues. Not sure what's happening to Laidlaw's kicking...he was doing all right first thing. Maybe the crowd are intimidating

[Looseheaded]

"Jacobsen was- arghgkjnkhdnjndl" -Jiffy

[Cari]

Charlo "Phil back to you..."

Silence.

Blues scrum collapses again. Ref is going to bin someone soon...

[Artful_Dodger]

Blues should be worried about coming up against some of Europe bigger packs and strongest front rows given whats happening to them against Edinburgh.

[Looseheaded]

For such a big lump Filise really does struggle at scrum time.

[Cari]

Blues get a penalty anyway, and Leehalfapee should do the business...if the ball stays on the tee, mind...

6 - 8.

[Cari]

Gawd, Visser's dangerous isn't he? I bet Scotland can't wait to have him in their squad (assuming he's going to at some point). Blues get another penalty. This could take them ahead at HT. Bit of a controversial decision...should have been an Edinburgh one according to Jiffy.

9-8.

[BigTrevsbigmac]

Shocking decision Blues very lucky there

[RDW]

Fair play to the Blues leading having not had much ball - Edinburgh should have done so much more for all the possession they had.

[Cari]

Woah! Well taken by Cuffbutt. If Visser had got that, Edinburgh would be ahead at HT. Good save Cuffy.

9-8.

[RDW]

Cari - Visser played the entire summer tour for us! scored 2 tries!

[justified sinner]

How the hell was that a Blues pen. Man on his feet entering from the back clean take, Blues player in from side. Eh

[Cari]

Cari - Visser played the entire summer tour for us! scored 2 tries!

Ah! I do apologise for missing that RD. Didn't see anything of the Scottish or English summer tours. Shaming!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Well I've got the flat to myself, I'm chilled out in my pants with a Chinese and beer in hand - it's game night!!!

What's the name of this Chinese lass that you have in hand and does your missus know?

Evening all. Quick question, why does Ceri Sweeney wear the world's largest sweat band on his wrist? Did he break his lower arm at some point or does he want to be Gareth Thomas?

[RDW]

[Cari]

Oh here's trouble. All right Asbo?

Do you know, now you mention it, Sweeney does always wear that sweatband doesn't he? I've only just noticed...maybe it protects his wrist...the very used one

[munkian]

Need to get Cuthbert in the game more , big waste at the moment.

[justified sinner]

Cari - Visser played the entire summer tour for us! scored 2 tries!

Actually played 2 out if 3. 2 against Fiji drew a blank against Tonga. Also 2 trys in his first BaBa game. He's quite good really.

[Cari]

Quite good?! He's been the Pro-12 top try scorer for three seasons in a row!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Oh here's trouble. All right Asbo?

Do you know, now you mention it, Sweeney does always wear that sweatband doesn't he? I've only just noticed...maybe it protects his wrist...the very used one

A'wite gorgeous, how's you cooking? That's a fine , could be Scotch or Irish now we know that the extra 'E' is a modern affectation!

Hmm, your theory is an interesting one!

[Looseheaded]

Oh here's trouble. All right Asbo?

Do you know, now you mention it, Sweeney does always wear that sweatband doesn't he? I've only just noticed...maybe it protects his wrist...the very used one

Must be some wrist injury.
Either that or it's bit of an 'old boys' tradition.
Ceri, Alfie, and Scott Quinnell.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Cari - Visser played the entire summer tour for us! scored 2 tries!

Actually played 2 out if 3. 2 against Fiji drew a blank against Tonga Samoa. Also 2 trys in his first BaBa game. He's quite good really.

Fixed that for you!

[bsando]

Half time interview with Martyn Williams, what a legend!

[Cari]

Asbo could be a Welsh wisgi being as we're in Kairdiff for this match...Claark's pie anyone??

[Knowsit17]

No idea how Blues are ahead. Oh now I remember- Leigh Halfpenny! That's the only area of the game Blues have been better, the kicking. Being bossed in attack, defence, the breakdown, you name it other than the boot!

Is Sam playing with the flu? Why's he not been hitting the rucks like in NZ?

Fau Filise looks very awkward at loosehead, I feared that's what we'd see converting a tighthead with several seasons experience to his name. Blues not looking intelligent at all, attacking far too predictably and how much space do they want to give Visser?

Game still Edinburgh's for the taking if both teams play the same way next half. Blues need to wise up fast.

[Cari]

Good crowd up in Glasgae apparently, and more good news for them, Shingler's been binned. Scarlets leading at the mo though.

[RDW]

Got to be careful now Asbo is here - those from the West can't be trusted!

[justified sinner]

Cheers ASBO, hard watching game in pub drinking and posting at same time.

Anyway time for more beer.

[Cari]

Visser's off again...very close. If that ball hadn't gone dead....

[Cari]

Go To-Jam! The Blues in with their best chance of a try yet...oh bhugger. Someone was offside.

[RDW]

Your replacement loosehead looks about 11 years old! He's gonna get eaten alive by Cross!

[Cari]

Uh-oh Edinburgh fullback is binned. Could've been a Blues try there too. They're still in with a chance though...

[RDW]

This is where Edinburgh self implode....

[Cari]

Cuffbutt in under the posts!

16 - 8 after conversion. You were sayin' Munkian?

[Looseheaded]

POWWWEEEEERRRRR.

Good strength from Cuthbert there.
Brutal.

[Cari]

Another former Blues man on - Yapp. Laidlaw gets the penalty. 16 - 11.

[bedfordwelsh]

Only 7000 there where all the fans that called for a move back to the CAP?

[Cari]

Awh isn't that generous? Yapp gives the Blues another penalty that Leehalfapee could kick.

19 - 11

[RDW]

Get Talei on!

[Cari]

Bedford - dunno. Sulking in a corner somewhere probably. At least there's more atmosphere at the AP and it looks nearer to capacity than 7'000 people would in the CCS.

[Artful_Dodger]

Starting to see why Edinburgh havent won in Wales since 2009.

[RDW]

Yellow card - scrum time!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cari]

OMG!!! ToJam you pillock! If he'd passed outside the Blues would've got a try. Instead the ball goes to Edinburgh and Navidi steals it illegally so he's binned. Now Edinburgh have a scrum.

[Cari]

MASSIVE scrum now. Edinburgh could easily push over for a try here. Oh no need...penalty try!

19 - 16.

[RDW]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

About bliwdy time, ref!

[Cari]

It all came from ToJam's bum inside pass...no vision that boy sometimes.

Leehalfapee off Prince Harry comes on (well it really looks like HRH...)

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Good work on the ground from McInally, poor kick from wee Greig

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Bit over-ambitious from Tonksy

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