Posted by My word this season seems to be going on forever. It feels like a lifetime ago that those pre-season contests with Scarlets and Ospreys took place, yet here we still are with two game weeks to go.
For those in end-of-season play-offs there could still be a month of the 2023/24 campaign left, but fortunately Cardiff are far too wise than to get caught up in that malarkey!
Instead the Blue & Blacks are battling for a “best of the rest” tag with five teams at the foot of the table who are out of the play-off running, and that aim took a blow on the weekend with a 34-13 loss at the hands of Lions in Johannesburg.
It was a disappointing outing at altitude for Matt Sherratt’s men who were much more competitive and in the game than the final scoreline suggests, but ultimately did not ever threaten to actually secure the win. For all the battling performances and close scorelines, actually getting over the line is proving tougher than ever.
There was a lot to like from the Blue & Blacks on Saturday; the scrum was on top against South African opposition, the maul defence was fairly solid, phase play defence was impressive as the Lions scored largely from errors in transition or switching off at penalties, and we continued to get in half-decent attacking shapes.
However, the attack was once again unable to turn those chances into points scoring opportunities as 48% possession, 55% territory and 11 defenders beaten was turned into just three line breaks and one try scored from a close range pick-and-go. With nine points left on the tee we are simply not exerting enough scoreboard pressure on opposition sides to earn the victory.
It feels as if there’s a lack of variation to the attack, with the pass out the back the preferred option on the majority of occasions making us predictable and easy to defend. It restricts our major attacking talents of Mason Grady and Theo Cabango by eating up their space, while the forwards are very narrow and struggle to support when we do break into the back field.
Individually there were strong showings from all four props at scrum time, James Botham got through a lot of work from openside, Ben Thomas impressed again with his all-court game at 12, Gabriel Hamer-Webb looked very sharp on his return, while Cam Winnett continues to ooze class at full-back. Also a nod to Alun Lawrence who more than staked his claim for a new contract with a big carrying performance off the bench.
Unfortunately though there’s a distinct feeling that the legs are just falling off this season. A small squad, a demanding schedule, a tough game at altitude and the mental fortitude to keep performing against the odds week-in, week-out are bound to take their toll in the final throws of the season, which could in-part explain the plateauing of performances somewhat.
With the reduced time to work on elements of our game, alongside matches and recovery, the off-season followed by a huge pre-season can’t come quickly enough for Cardiff, but there are still two opportunities for wins to go starting with a jaunt across to Durban this coming weekend.
The Sharks are right with us in the race for the top of the bottom part of the league having endured a seriously poor season when considering the quality within their squad. They have been able to qualify for the final of the European Challenge Cup though, which takes place in London just six days after our game, meaning we are likely to see a much-changed 23 take the field at Kings Park.
It’s a big opportunity for the Blue & Blacks to add one more win to the column and take some confidence into Judgement Day where, as we know, anything can happen in a Welsh derby. Despite everything, the optimism remains among the faithful at the Arms Park!
#TrustTheProcess
Cardiff Rugby Life 