Blues vs Toulon

Cardiff Blues team

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Owen Williams
12. Cory Allen
11. Harry Robinson
10. Rhys Patchell
9. Lloyd Williams
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Scott Andrews
4. Bradley Davies
5. Filo Paulo
6. Josh Navidi
7. Sam Warburton
8. Robin Copeland.

Replacements: Marc Breeze, Sam Hobbs, Benoit Bourrust, Lou Reed, Rory Watts-Jones, Lewis Jones, Gareth Davies, Richard Smith.

Probably the Blues strongest team, good developing centre pairing between Allen and Williams, though inexperienced at this level. Good to see Copeland starting, he has been massive for us over this and last season.

Toulon team tba

The Blues have been rocked by Exeter in their last game leaking so many tries and kicking away possession, their coaching team has undergone a change with Dale McIntosh coming in to tighten up the defence. Toulon on the other hand similarly destroyed a strong Glasgow side with relative ease, I can't see the Blues turning over Toulon at this stage.

I can't see the Blues winning this, however I think it could be a tighter game than expected. That is a good Blues side, on paper, and they must be hurting like a very hirt thing after last weekend. I don't know why, but I just have a feeling it will make them a different animal this weekend, a bit like when they lost to Zebre and then really gave Leinster a game out in Dublin.

Fingers crossed for a dry spell so that the CAP pitch can really be utilised by the Blues backs.

Wilko is apparently injured, if so, how will this affect their game plan? Will Giteau move to 10?

Likely they will bring Michalak at 10 if hes not injured

Toulon team has been announced on there homepage:

Le XV de départ (de 15 à 9 et de 1 à 8) : Delon Armitage; Josua Tuisova, Maxime Mermoz, Matthew Giteau, Rudi Wulf; Jonny Wilkinson (c), Frédéric Michalak; Xavier CHIOCCI, Jean-Charles Orioli, Martin Castrogiovanni, Bakkies Botha, Ali Williams, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Steffon Armitage, Chris Masoe.

Les remplaçants : Benjamin Noirot, Emmanuel Felsina, Carl Hayman, Juan Smith, Virgile Bruni, Drew Mitchell, Alexis Palisson, Jocelino Suta.

The Blues have their strongest team out with some cracking players, there should be no excuse, their home as well. I hope they pull a shocker but I just think Toulon are too strong.

Blues will win this one. Maybe one or two points in it.

Toulon won't have to get out of 3rd gear to win.

Go Jonny go go go

Warburton v Armitage will be good.

Armitage had the better of him last year when they met.

Hi !!! what s the weather in Cardiff? Do you think the roof will be closer?

That is one hell of a Toulon side, if the Blues play like 1st half last week and like some of their Rabo performances it could be a very embarassing scoreboard.

totti13012 wrote:Hi !!! what s the weather in Cardiff? Do you think the roof will be closer?

They haven't got a roof. However, they have got a plastic pitch so if it rains then it won't affect the game too much (although maybe a bit slippery).

Griff wrote:

totti13012 wrote:Hi !!! what s the weather in Cardiff? Do you think the roof will be closer?

They haven't got a roof. However, they have got a plastic pitch so if it rains then it won't affect the game too much (although maybe a bit slippery).

Thank s ! it s for betting points in the match !  

Griff wrote:Blues will win this one. Maybe one or two points in it.

I wasn't as accurate as I would have liked, but right all the same! Self gloating and self congratulations taking place here.  for me!

Griff wrote:

Griff wrote:Blues will win this one. Maybe one or two points in it.

I wasn't as accurate as I would have liked, but right all the same! Self gloating and self congratulations taking place here.  for me!

 

Well done Blues, big result. Hope it bodes well for French giant killing this weekend


I'll support Scarlets if all you fellas support Quins?

Griff wrote:

Griff wrote:Blues will win this one. Maybe one or two points in it.

I wasn't as accurate as I would have liked, but right all the same! Self gloating and self congratulations taking place here.  for me!

Hat off to you Griff have you got tonights lottery results or just 5 of them will do.

10 a peace at the Rec Toby has scored a cracker by all accounts.

Good stuff Bedford. Had to work today so couldn't make it over. Not expecting a win, but just hoping we show we're a tough side and won't lie down for anyone.

Well played Cardiff

Nice work Blues...!

Great Result.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Well done Blues, big result. Hope it bodes well for French giant killing this weekend


I'll support Scarlets if all you fellas support Quins?

No takers there then Chequers  

You will all feel sorry when we crush Clermont

I do think Toulon was unfortunate to be honest. The try that was disallowed i thought was a bit harsh.

But apart from that Cardiff won and was a bit lucky IMO.

ChequeredJersey wrote:You will all feel sorry when we crush Clermont

Good luck  

majesticimperialman wrote:I do think Toulon was unfortunate to be honest. The try that was disallowed i thought was a bit harsh.

But apart from that Cardiff won and was a bit lucky IMO.

Agreed but tbh Cardiff had to have some luck & got it. Toulon dominated scrum & breakdown. But credit to Blues for hanging in & taking their try.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:
Agreed but tbh Cardiff had to have some luck & got it. Toulon dominated scrum & breakdown. But credit to Blues for hanging in & taking their try.

Breakdown was pretty even to me.

Yes it was marginally forward for their try but still forward.

Didn't see the game but what a result, hardly the end of the world for Toulon though, they will destroy all who come to France, and should get the LBP's away from home to qualify.

Well done Cardiff!

Always good to see the big boys humbled.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:I do think Toulon was unfortunate to be honest. The try that was disallowed i thought was a bit harsh.

But apart from that Cardiff won and was a bit lucky IMO.

Agreed but tbh Cardiff had to have some luck & got it. Toulon dominated scrum & breakdown. But credit to Blues for hanging in & taking their try.

Credit to the Blues for beating last years champions that put fifty points on Glasgow last week.

It was an immense performance, with so much youth in the side too. Cory Allen was in the JWC final last year and is already showing excellence at the highest club level around.

We can only hope that the Blues can back up this performance again. Everyone impartially favours an underdog and in a game like this there is no bigger difference.

I thought that the ref seemed to be favouring the underdog too especially at scrum time when many other refs would have penalised Blues out of the game, but in the end toulon were masters of their own downfall, while Blues - for once - scrapped for everything.

VietGwentRevisited wrote:I thought that the ref seemed to be favouring the underdog too especially at scrum time when many other refs would have penalised Blues out of the game, but in the end toulon were masters of their own downfall, while Blues - for once - scrapped for everything.

Can't really disagree with regards to scrum time, but I didn't get the impression that the ref favoured Cardiff in other aspects of play however. Thought the TMO was wrong when Shove got penalised. Now i've mentioned it, the TMOs so far this season have pretty much been pants.
Anyway i'll take the win, but the return fixture will be a white flags at the ready affair I reckon.