Director of Rugby Mark Hammett described the bonus point win over Grenoble as the best performance of his tenure as Cardiff Blues emphatically opened the European Rugby Challenge Cup with a 37-14 win at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.
Cardiff Blues ran in five tries through Rhys Patchell, Lloyd Williams, Sam Warburton, Richard Smith and Josh Turnbull as they overwhelmed the Top14 side.
Hammett’s men are next in action in the competition a week Saturday when they face Femi-CZ VEA Rugby Rovigo in Italy.
And the Blues boss believes confidence should now be high after the maximum point win and first victory on home soil this season.
“It was great to get a win at home,” said Hammett. “I thought it was our best performance of the season. Our combinations went well
“The difference is often small in rugby when it comes to winning and losing. Today we held ball for long periods of time and sometimes you don’t get over the line when you do that, but what you do is take it out of the opposition.
“The effort and work in the first half really went in. While we didn’t always get the ultimate reward, in terms of opening them up, I think that what paid dividends in the second half.
“Guys came off the bench and had good impact and some of the areas we have been working on; use our hands rather than skips passes, fight hard to stay in, finding touch and the kick chase, they were all better.
“I thought it was a good game against side who had made a lot of changes. We did what we needed and I am pleased for the boys.
“We take confidence from this, you feel good when you win. Your training week and reviews are better.
“We will now look at the good parts, look to replicate that, and keep demanding off each other and push the areas that weren’t so good."