Posted by Happy New Year from Cardiff Rugby – here’s the worst performance of the season to welcome 2026 in…
There are no supporters of the Blue & Blacks that really expect anything from a 1st January clash with the Ospreys, especially when it involves making the short trip over to the Brewery Field. The pitch, the weather and the opposition are entirely at odds with what the team wants to produce from a rugby perspective.
That was true again this New Year’s Day as the hosts were physical, direct and strong at the set piece on a pitch that always plays heavily. Corniel Van Zyl’s side were blown away at the breakdown and at the gainline, struggled to get it right at the scrum and could not get any sort of maul work going. A tale as old as 2003 in this fixture.
However, what is difficult to stomach is a feeling that too many of the players wearing Cardiff jerseys just weren’t at the races on an attitude/emotional level. That’s not to say that they were lacking effort or actively not trying – that isn’t this group at all – but there was certainly a majority that weren’t in the right place to compete in a Welsh derby.
There’s all sorts of cliches around form going out of the window, derbies are different from regular league games, it’s more than just rugby etc etc, but it’s undeniably the case that players need to be in a unique mental space to win these games.
The Ospreys were brutally physical but in a controlled way. They channelled their aggression into being tight in their shape and disciplined around contact, they were deliberate around their kicking and chasing, and seemed to thrive on building momentum. The Blue & Blacks, meanwhile, were ill-disciplined and erratic, just 15 individuals rather than one team.
They need to review their preparations and the messaging from the coaches to the players that led to them turning out at the wrong emotional level not just to start the game, but particularly at half-time where the opportunity to regroup was not only squandered but the beginning of the second half saw Cardiff actually come out even further off the home team.
Alongside that there still needs to be a major review of the attacking system that Jonny Goodridge is running with help from Dan Fish in the wake of Matt Sherratt’s departure.
Let’s remove the final six minutes of the game at a time where, to be harsh to the Blue & Blacks, the Ospreys had stopped playing. They’d chosen to take off the only scrum-half in their matchday 23, alongside their best performing forwards, and were cruising to victory.
For the first 74 minutes Cardiff had far too little structure and were too loose in how they set up to play. Ball carriers often ended up isolated, unable to make post-contact metres and turned over with ease. Add in some miscued kicking from half-back and an inability to get the ball into the hands of danger men out wide, and it resulted in an inability to hold on to the ball, exert pressure and make line breaks.
In spite of all the above though there was some positives to take on an individual level; Alex Mann was a solo wrecking ball with nine carries, 11 passes, 18 tackles and four turnovers, Ben Thomas made 76 metres from eight carries with two line breaks and a try assist, while Josh Adams sent out a timely reminder of his qualities with two good finishes alongside his usual industry up and down the right wing.
Perhaps the biggest positive is that the festive derbies are now behind us and Cardiff can look ahead to the European Challenge Cup returning as Racing 92 come to the Arms Park on Saturday. A chance to wipe the slate clean and concentrate on the finer tactical details without the added pressure of bragging rights and Wales head-to-heads.
A win is required if there’s any hope of a home round of 16 clash in April, but more importantly than that a performance is needed even if it comes in a loss. Time to get back to seeing some good quality Blue & Black rugby.
Cardiff Rugby Life 