Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors, 15 February

Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors

15 February 2014
The Arms Park, Cardiff
KO: 6.30pm.

Live on S4C/BBC ALBA

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 58th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell, Martyn Lewis (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Richard Gwynn (WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

A. Previous Meetings

13/12/13 Glasgow Warriors 7 - 9 Cardiff Blues  
6/12/13 Cardiff Blues 29 - 20 Glasgow Warriors  
6/9/13 Glasgow Warriors 22 - 15 Cardiff Blues

B. Form:

1	Munster	13	11	0	2	323	201	4	48
2	Leinster	13	9	1	3	294	203	7	45
3	Ulster	13	9	0	4	254	177	5	41
4	Ospreys	13	8	1	4	300	226	6	40
5	Glasgow	11	9	0	2	177	148	1	37
6	Scarlets	13	5	1	7	240	259	6	28
7	NG Dragons	12	5	0	7	209	210	4	24
8	Edinburgh	11	5	0	6	202	255	2	22
9	Cardiff Blues	13	4	1	8	253	328	4	22

C. Teams:

1. Blues
15 Dan Fish
14 Richard Smith
13 Isaia Tuifua
12 Dafydd Hewitt
11 Harry Robinson
10 Simon Humberstone

9 Lloyd Williams
1 Gethin Jenkins (c)
2 Kristian Dacey
3 Scott Andrews
4 Macauley Cook
5 Filo Paulo
6 Ellis Jenkins
7 Sam Warburton
8 Robin Copeland

Replacements:
16 Rhys Williams,
17 Sam Hobbs,
18 Patrick Palmer,
19 James Down,
20 Rory Watts-Jones,
21 Lewis Jones,
22 Gareth Davies,
23 Tom Williams

2. Warriors
15. Niko Matawalu
14. Lee Jones
13. Richie Vernon
12. Mark Bennett
11. Rory Hughes
10. Ruaridh Jackson
9. Henry Pyrgos

1. Gordon Reid
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Ed Kalman
4. Leone Nakarawa
5. Tom Ryder
6. Rob Harley
7. Tyrone Holmes
8. Josh Strauss (Captain)

Substitutes

16. Dougie Hall
17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18. Jon Welsh
19. Jonny Gray
20. James Eddie
21. Chris Cusiter
22. Finn Russell
23. Folau Niua

Match Preview:

Cardiff Blues only victory in their last six RaboDirect PRO12 fixtures was 21-13 at home to the Dragons on New Year's Day.

The Blues have won their last three fixtures against Scottish opponents in all tournaments.
Glasgow Warriors have won their last three matches in the PRO12 since their 8-23 home defeat by the Dragons on 22 November.

The Warriors have won all six away games thy have played in the tournament this season.

The Blues have won both their recent meetings with the Warriors, home and away in the European Cup in December; however in the PRO12 it is a different story with Glasgow taking the last fire encounters since their 15-26 defeat at Firhill in February 2011.

Could we get some photos for Cardiff & Glasgow?

One wonders what wonders Toonie will pull out of his bag of wonders tonight?
1. Shrek
2. WeePee, pssed off with Rab C and looking to take it out on someone!
3. Kalman, who is having a very good season.
4. Ryder
5. Big Naka
6. Harley
7.Holmes
8. Strauss
9. Pyrgos
10. Jackson
11. Jones the tackle monster
12.   
13. Richie Vee
14. Newie, but probably start him on the bench.
15 Mad MacMatamadman

Bench is where I think Toonie might allow his Muppet out to play; I expect Welsh, Brown and Jedi but after that who knows how the spirit will move him.
I would like to see a little payback for the way the Blouses murdered our HC hopes, the pack above could certainly put it to them.

 Well I think it's a personal best for Jimbopip, 14 of the starting line-up predicted correctly. The outlier being Newie. In all honestly I didn't expect him to start and thought Hughes would be in there. Still, no bad.
However, Toonie has kept a tight grip on his inner muppet with a very sensible bench: Jerry, Hall, Angie, Gray, Jedi, Cooseater, Russell and Newie.
100th cap for Ed Kalman: all credit to the man.  

The Blues

15 Dan Fish
14 Richard Smith
13 Isaia Tuifua
12 Dafydd Hewitt
11 Harry Robinson
10 Simon Humberstone
9 Lloyd Williams
1 Gethin Jenkins (c)
2 Kristian Dacey
3 Scott Andrews
4 Macauley Cook
5 Filo Paulo
6 Ellis Jenkins
7 Sam Warburton
8 Robin Copeland

Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Patrick Palmer, 19 James Down, 20 Rory Watts-Jones, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Tom Williams

Good to see Ellis Jenkins getting a start, one to keep an eye on.

15. Niko Matawalu
14. Lee Jones
13. Richie Vernon
12. Mark Bennett
11. Rory Hughes
10. Ruaridh Jackson
9. Henry Pyrgos

1. Gordon Reid
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Ed Kalman
4. Leone Nakarawa
5. Tom Ryder
6. Rob Harley
7. Tyrone Holmes
8. Josh Strauss (Captain)

Substitutes

16. Dougie Hall
17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18. Jon Welsh
19. Jonny Gray
20. James Eddie
21. Chris Cusiter
22. Finn Russell
23. Folau Niua

Not available due to injury: Peter Horne (knee), Al Kellock (arm), Byron McGuigan (hand), Sean Maitland (head/knee/ankle), Peter Murchie (shoulder) and DTH van der Merwe (shoulder).

Hmm, does Bennett, MacArthur & Harley starting rule them out for the Scotland game against Italy? What does it say for the prospects of Jon Welsh, Johnny Gray and Cus being on the bench for that game too?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:
Substitutes

Hmm, does Bennett, MacArthur & Harley starting rule them out for the Scotland game against Italy?  What does it say for the prospects of Jon Welsh, Johnny Gray and Cus being on the bench for that game too?

I would say that the latter three, being on the bench, have a more realistic chance of making the trip to the land of Sophia Loren and gelati. However, in terms of 2015 RWC isn't it time Harley, Bennet and MacArthur were pulling on the blue jersey?
I think Toonie probably insisted on as strong a starting XV as possible. If we win we are back in the play off places. If the Blouses lose they have a lot of ground to make up. And let's face it, it's not as if Scotland have much to play for in the 6N's.

Good pack - backs are weak.

Enjoying the extended run Vernon is getting in the backs. Comedy!

Can you imagine 3 months ago if Glasgow fans had seen that their backline would end up with Richie Vernon at 13 and Lee Jones on the wing anyone would have believed it?

Davies is well aware that Glasgow will have a score to settle having suffered back-to-back Heineken Cup defeats at the hands of the Blues in December.

“They will be huge,” he said. “We had two cracking games of rugby against them in the Heineken and they will be looking to get a bit of revenge I’m sure.


the 2nd game definitely wasn't a 'cracker'  

RDW_Scotland wrote:Can you imagine 3 months ago if Glasgow fans had seen that their backline would end up with Richie Vernon at 13 and Lee Jones on the wing anyone would have believed it?

Matawalu at 15 doesn't make for confortable reading as well   

Niko has actually played 15 for Fiji half a dozen times so it's not quite as mad as all that. Mind you, I don't think Niko will suddenly roll out a hitherto unseen tactical kicking game.

We seriously owe the Blues a kicking for daring to turn up with a well execued game plan and hungry young players in the Heineken Cup. I saw them. Those buggers could run and pass and all sorts. We shouldn't have to put up with that sort of sh!t.

George Carlin wrote:Niko has actually played 15 for Fiji half a dozen times so it's not quite as mad as all that. Mind you, I don't think Niko will suddenly roll out a hitherto unseen tactical kicking game.

We seriously owe the Blues a kicking for daring to turn up with a well execued game plan and hungry young players in the Heineken Cup. I saw them. Those buggers could run and pass and all sorts. We shouldn't have to put up with that sort of sh!t.

The Blues are missing their key ingredient of Patchell if we're expected to repeat that game plan

But we do have Tuifua in the centre who is still an unknown quantity in the Pro12.

iceman   

No too bad a 23 there for the Warriors tbh. Hopefully conditions will be better (i.e. no gale force wind) than Sunday at Scotstoun. C'mon The Warriors   

we've been waiting all season for the Warriors to "click" and hit top gear: I've got a feeling, based on nothing at all, that they're going to put in a real performance today.  
Does your heart not go out to the Coo? After all this time his comeback game is postponed.

Jimbo - I needed to research that slightly opaque comment. Didn't realise that the Mighty Coo was down to play for the Hawks against Ayr!

If you want a laugh, take a look at the Folau Niua interview on YouTube. The dude is so laid back, he's practically unconscious.

Come on Glasgow  

George, there's a man who'll never suffer from stress. Can you imagine him and the ruck inspector delivering a joint team talk?

Boys, boys any links as to where I can watch the match?

Can watch it in welsh on http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_live.shtml

Why the Frak do we keep getting Clancy!

Ta Mike.

Or go onto BBC iplayer, head to watch now and click on BBC ALBA
Better quality than S4c's clic

Good start,

the backs are looking a lot better under John.

We've had a lot of possession and territory in the first 10, but i'm a bit worried we haven't put more on the scoreboard

Scrum looking good, Gethin and Warburton look like they've actually turned up to play - I guess they have to with their international place at stake.

Warbuton and Jenkins are all over the ball at every breakdown.

Jenkins is overtaking Navidi in my books...

Come on Glasgow sort it out

What rubbish game two poor sides

glamorganalun wrote:What rubbish game two poor sides

I'd disagree with that,

I'm pretty impressed with the change in the Blues gameplan,

the ball has gotten to the wings 5 times more often than the start of the season,

the kicking game is interesting, they are putting up very contestable kicks and surprisingly are winning a fair few of the catches (someone has finally taught the players how to catch)

ICE seems to fit in pretty well in midfield, as does Humberstone,

Ellis Jenkins gets better with every game I watch

we're really going to miss copeland next season

Cardiff scored. Damn

Glasgow really are turning into a pile of Poopie

Wacko Jacko lives up to his nickname and kindly pams the ball into Cardiffs lap & they score unopposed   

And that was a cheeky try, but came from the wider gameplan being employed by John,

Overall a millions time better that Gareth 'what's a gamplan' Baber.

 

Glasgow playing well bar zillions of knockons! making good yards with the ball

Vernon doing OK in the centre

Glasgow are trying to employ their fast offloading game, but that doesn't work when your players can catch the ball - they need to tighten up and use their forwards because their backs are gifting us possession at the moment.

Nice to see a Blues scrum not going backwards for once.

Lots of fumbles, but the Blues are turning over a lot of ball

wales606 wrote:

glamorganalun wrote:What rubbish game two poor sides

I'd disagree with that,

I'm pretty impressed with the change in the Blues gameplan,

the ball has gotten to the wings 5 times more often than the start of the season,

the kicking game is interesting, they are putting up very contestable kicks and surprisingly are winning a fair few of the catches (someone has finally taught the players how to catch)

ICE seems to fit in pretty well in midfield, as does Humberstone,

Ellis Jenkins gets better with every game I watch

You must have low expectations this is rubbish so far.

Wow what a try by Lee Jones!!!!

Get in there

Holy Poopie, Lee Jones is having a great game

Ouch,

referee very lenient on releasing at the breakdown, and that Glasgow winger glides through everyone :/

Lee Jones, what a fantastic acquisition for Glasgow!

Also why did Clownshoes feel the need to check with the TMO. Clear try, and great try!

Seriously rubbish tackling from the Blues for that Glasgow try.

It makes a change for a Scottish side to make the killer score just before half time!

GLove39 wrote:Also why did Clownshoes feel the need to check with the TMO. Clear try, and great try!

Because he couldn't see the grounding from where he was I think.