Posted by As much as it was written and spoken about last pre-season that Cardiff had just eight players and no Head Coach when training resumed, it should be repeated that this summer has been a world away from that.
After finishing the 2023/24 campaign with such a wave of positivity – numerous young players exposed to and thriving in senior rugby, and an incredible 11 losses decided by just one score – that continued into preparations for the new campaign.
Gethin Jenkins going full-time as Defence Coach and Corniel Van Zyl coming in to bolster the coaching ticket as Forwards Coach was much needed for Matt Sherratt, and the recruitment and retention window was largely a success.
Seeing Rhys Carre and Tomos Williams depart was disappointing yet understandable, but all of the exciting young talent that took the Blue & Black jersey by storm signed up for more, while additions were considered and targeted, focusing on what they can bring to the squad culture as well as matching up with the tactical philosophy.
Danny Southworth and Joe Cowell are good prospects up front with their high skill level, Dan Thomas is a leader who will add to the back row’s tenacity, Johan Mulder is a livewire scrum-half, Aled Davies adds experience and game management, Callum Sheedy comes home to provide X factor at 10, Rory Jennings brings depth to that second playmaker slot at inside centre, while Iwan Stephens adds even more pace out wide.
With Steffan Emanuel and Tom Bowen both serious prospects at 12 and in the back three, respectively, it’s a sharp crop of recruits.
However, there is still a nagging feeling that while the aforementioned certainly build on what Cardiff did well last season and add to what Jockey wants to achieve with his squad, they perhaps don’t actively address some weakness that have dogged the Blue & Blacks over the years.
Ed Byrne at loosehead and Josh McNally in the second row are both experienced and solid operators in the tight five, but overall we still lack that depth of physical edge, bordering on nastiness, to go toe-to-toe with some of the United Rugby Championship’s bigger packs, especially in the depths of a Northern Hemisphere winter.
With that in mind, as well as the fact that while the likes of Evan Lloyd, Efan Daniel, Alex Mann, Mackenzie Martin, Ellis Bevan, Mason Grady, Cameron Winnett and Jacob Beetham all experienced test match rugby last season, they are still very young and developing on an individual level, what does success look like for Cardiff in 2024/25?
It’s easy to say that the Blue & Blacks can win a significantly higher number of games this coming season than last when statistically the gap between victory and defeat was relatively minor. Those last few points are often the toughest to come by though; managing the final parts of games, making big decisions while fatigued, executing under pressure, all skills that are the toughest to learn.
Yet they are skills that need to be learned and in order to see progress Jockey’s men will need to win more games than last year. The fixture list has been relatively kind, at least during the first half of the season with seven of the opening 10 league games at home, and a slightly different seven of those games being played against sides that also finished outside the play-offs last season.
The opportunity is there, but taking it is another thing altogether. With that in mind, I’m putting 26 points as the target level for Cardiff to have achieved a good opening 10 games. Not great, but greatness is unlikely to come overnight. Good will do as a step up from positive, so five-to-six wins plus a few bonus points here or there would be a solid return.
With a few victories in the European Challenge Cup pool stage and qualification for the Round of 16 secured on top of that, it would be a seriously upbeat mid-season report card for the Blue & Blacks as the Six Nations gets under way.
Anything less than that may see some questions asked of individuals and the group, with the patience afforded by off-field turmoil and the exposure of young players wearing off certainly outside of the Arms Park bubble, but also likely from some sections of the terraces and stands within the fanbase. That would be tricky to manage for what is still a young and growing squad.
Hopefully it won’t come to that though, starting with the round one visit of Zebre to the Welsh capital, a game underlined in red marker where Cardiff can get the season off to a flying start in front of a home crowd and set the tone for the next few months.
Tickets are available here, so get down to the Arms Park and support the Blue & Blacks this season as we look to take the step up from plucky underdogs to serious competitors.
#TrustTheProcess
Cardiff Rugby Life 