Posted by As Cardiff Rugby head into the final fixture block of the season this week, attention naturally turns to what might be come the end of the campaign. It’s certainly all to play for in the United Rugby Championship.
After an overall positive run prior to the turn of the calendar year, the Blue & Blacks hold on to a spot in the play-offs sitting sixth in the table with 31 points. Up ahead Munster are fifth with 33 points, but looking over the shoulder and all the way down to Zebre in 15th on 25 points will be aware that a few good wins could see them leapfrogging up the league.
And while maintaining form in the URC is massive for a tilt at qualifying for the league play-offs for the first time, it also leads in to the upcoming knockout rounds of the European Challenge Cup where another trip to Galway awaits to face Connacht.
For the majority of the season so far the narrative around Cardiff has been that the fixture list is a tale of two halves; opening up with a number of games against teams that were in the bottom half of the table last year, as well as seven of the first 10 at home, before spending a lot of the run-in on the road against stronger opposition.
Now that the final part of the campaign is upon us though, there’s a lingering sense of excitement around the club. It could be that hope building just to kill us again, but there should absolutely be a feeling from inside the Blue & Blacks camp that they are on the cusp of something special and there is no reason why they can’t achieve it.
The progression from last season to this has been noticeable; a much more effective attacking game, a solid set piece, resilient defence and the increasing maturity you would expect as the young breakout players from 2023/24 put their learning into practice supported by the experienced signings brought in over the summer.
It seems the next step is a mindset shift, from being brave losers to winners, however that may come. That starts at the Arms Park on Friday night with the visit of Lions, a team that are distinctly comparable to Cardiff, and to-date have only won two of seven away games in the league. Those came against Dragons and Zebre by a combined four points.
At a time when Welsh rugby is at a real low ebb, Matt Sherratt’s men have a unique opportunity to breathe some life back into proceedings with a few statement wins. Beating Lions can see us take huge confidence to Benetton next week, before rolling on to the Sportsground seven days later in Europe with a Final at the Millennium Stadium the ultimate prize.
Every game is a big one for the next five currently fixtured, but the Blue & Blacks should have no fear. Instead they can go out and embrace the chance to turn the hard work done so far into something tangible on this road back to being regularly competitive.
It’s all to play for, Ymlaen Caerdydd!
Cardiff Rugby Life 