Posted by On Monday morning this season preview was fairly easily written; continue to see individual progression from the younger members of the squad, look to the new signings to add a few extra percent, and hope to steal in to the play-offs having just missed out at the end of last year.
Then it was suddenly all change as Matt Sherratt announced he was stepping down as Cardiff Head Coach with immediate effect to take on the Wales Attack Coach job. While not unexpected, and the decision a totally understandable one on the part of Jockey, it adds a certain amount of disruption to the 2025/26 campaign that will be difficult to predict.
While they’re the platitudes you’d expect to hear in the media, I’ve no doubt that there’s plenty of truth in the comments from the players and remaining coaches that preparations continue as planned and it’s full steam ahead to facing Lions at the Arms Park on Saturday. They’ve dealt with Sherratt stepping in with the national team during the Six Nations and over the summer already.
There’s a very strong senior player group within the Blue & Blacks squad who will oversee things within the changing room, and a very able coaching ticket headed up on an interim basis by Corniel Van Zyl with Gethin Jenkins, Jonny Goodridge and Scott Andrews taking on additional responsibility. Add a certain Rey Lee-Lo into the mix for some extra rugby wisdom.
So with that in mind, why not preview it in the same way? There’s an all-important first block of five United Rugby Championship games where four are in Wales; three home games and a trip to Rodney Parade. If we can win at least three games and take 16 overall points, preferably four wins and get closer to 20, and we’re right in the play-off mix going into festive derby time.
Then it’s about clinging on through the rocky middle part of the season before looking to finish well where three of the last four games are also in Wales; two home games and a jaunt down to Llanelli. A tough Challenge Cup pool may not be the priority this year, we’ll see once we get to December, but try and cling to some momentum in that competition and Cardiff are in a great spot.
After the progression of a young team through 2023/24 was seen without clinching many results, the Blue & Blacks seemed to learn to win during 2024/25, underlined by the back-to-back bonus point wins against Ospreys and Munster, respectively, at the back end of last season. Carry that confidence into this new campaign and we’ve got a great chance to achieve something.
However, there will be a nagging possibility that the coaching change causes disruption, especially when paired with the fact that Cardiff remain in the limbo of Welsh Rugby Union ownership after going into administration back in April, and that same Welsh Rugby Union are carrying out a consultation that could result in the cessation of Cardiff Rugby Club as we know it at the top level of professional rugby.
If that were to be the case, particularly across the first URC fixture block where the coaching ticket will be working some things out on the fly and the outcome of the WRU consultation is expected to be revealed, it would not be a surprise at all. At that point it will simply be about picking up as many results as possible, and not having too much impact on the development of young players.
That leads me nicely to the main point of this season preview – maybe it’s not about the results at all this year?
There is a clear and present threat to the future of the club at this level should the WRU plough forward with cutting to two professional teams in Wales and create two new entities to fulfil that. Many of the Blue & Black faithful would not switch to supporting the Rags in Super Rygbi Cymru, or give the new side in East Wales a go.
To that end this may be the last season that we have at the Arms Park, so let’s enjoy it! You don’t always know a good thing until it’s gone so take the opportunity to get to games this year, go for that pint in town before kick-off, stay for one in the clubhouse or Pack Bat afterwards. Embrace everything about matchdays and give the players your support through the undoubted turmoil ahead.
There’s no board or figurehead to rally around at Cardiff at the moment, and no owner to vent to as the WRU carry out the consultation, so instead let’s focus our energy on packing CAP as much as possible and send a message to the powers that be in that fashion.
No matter the result it’s #AlwaysCardiff so, possibly for one last time, let’s have a great season!
Cardiff Rugby Life 