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Cardiff Blues 40 v Ospreys 14 Match Report

3rd March 2006


After a four week break Cardiff Blues returned to action against the Ospreys who were looking for revenge after suffering a 28-9 defeat at the Liberty Stadium before Christmas.

It was the Ospreys who got on the scoreboard first with a Shaun Connor drop goal in the first minute but it was soon cancelled out when Nicky Robinson converted a penalty a minute later after an infringement in a ruck.

Robinson added a further two penalties before Shaun Connor struck again with a drop goal. However it was the Cardiff Blues outside half who got the first try of a match when he saw a gap and broke through the heart of the Ospreys defence and had the pace to sprint to the left corner to score the try that he converted.

Excellent work by Duane Goodfield saw the ball move out to Rhys Williams but the Blues failed to make the most of the overlap. The Ospreys were soon down to 14 men when Cai Griffiths was yellow carded but it was the visitors who were on the scoreboard next when Gavin Henson kicked a penalty.

Nicky Robinson was having and excellent game and controlling things in the backs, a strong hand off on Shaun Connor saw the Blues number 10 pass the ball to Craig Morgan who had to juggle the ball, excellent work by Jamie Robinson and Marc Stcherbina saw the ball return to Nicky Robinson who put a perfectly weighted cross field kick in to the corner for Chris Czekaj to gather and score.

Half Time - Cardiff Blues 21 Ospreys 9

The Blues started the second half the way they finished the first. Maama Molitikia who was also having an excellent match in the forwards stole an Ospreys lineout. The ball was moved out to the backs and excellently timed passes by Stcherbina and Williams saw the ball move out to Czekaj who had the strength and speed to hand off Shane Williams and cross in the corner.

Ospreys soon fought back when they pushed over for a try for James Bater following a line out on the Blues try line, to bring the scores to 26 – 14. A huge clearance by Robinson saw the Ospreys pushed in to their own twenty two and Blues steal the line out. However they were turned over but their clearance only reached Rhys Williams who counter attacked and the ball reached Czekaj who once again showed his class by turning Ospreys Number 8 Nathan Thomas inside out to score in the corner and get his hat trick and bonus point for the Blues.

Robinson had an unconventional conversion when he seemed to scuff the ball wide but the wind carried it between the posts. It was one of those days when everything went well for the Cardiff outside half.

The Blues weren’t finished yet and a strong break by Phillips saw Nicky Robinson pass to his elder brother Jamie who despite having Czekaj outside him dived over the Ospreys defence American Football style and score the touchdown. Robinson converted to bring the score to 40-14 and ensure a famous victory for the Cardiff Blues.