Posted by Perhaps Cardiff need to join the Top14 in order to regularly win games of rugby? Aside from that December 2021 fixture where the Misfits XV lost to Toulouse while the majority of the first team were stuck in South Africa, there hasn’t been a home loss to French opposition since December 2012.
A remarkable run of 11 straight victories at the Arms Park over French teams when the full squad was available to be selected from. We won’t mention how the corresponding fixtures on the continent have gone, but then not bothering with away games is a pre-requisite of Top14 entry anyway.
Or perhaps Cardiff just need to bin off games against Welsh opposition, or more specifically hosting the Scarlets and playing the Ospreys any time other than dry and bright spring days or under the roof of the Principality Stadium. A player needs to plan a wedding on each of those fixtures and the United Rugby Championship informed a side cannot be raised.
For certain though is that the performance that Corniel Van Zyl’s put together against Racing on Saturday afternoon was a lot more like it, particularly in the second half. Get around the field well, win the aerial battle, front up against a seriously physical side defensively and at the set piece and, crucially, rediscover the clinical edge that has been lacking in the red zone.
Whether that comes in response to the showings across the festive period, a change of competition and unfamiliar opposition allowing a re-focus on ourselves, or the introduction of individuals who may feel they have a bit of a point to prove, it was a noticeable improvement and one that will hopefully be sustained through to the Six Nations.
Cornel Smit was a particular highlight of that second period with three scorching defensive reads and then an incisive carry and offload to put Ben Thomas over for the bonus point score, while Ellis Bevan added some much needed zip to the attack off the bench albeit with a bit of ring rust that is expected after minimal minutes across the campaign thus far.
Rory Thornton continues his run of good form with a cementing of his position as one of the best lineout technicians around, problem solving some early wobbles to get good ball off the top and constantly being a pain as Racing tried to get the maul up and running, while Jacob Beetham showed more of the talent he is as he settled in to his natural full-back position.
Of course there’s the caveat that this was far from the Paris team’s strongest 23, but with the comparative spending power they have it was a still a very competitive squad where at least 50% of the selected team would push for inclusion in a very best Cardiff 23 at the moment.
The win sees the Blue & Blacks confirm qualification for the Round of 16 with a game to spare of the pool stage, but hosting that knockout game will need another victory this weekend from the trip down to Devon to face Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.
This sparks a debate over what sort of approach Van Zyl should take to his team selection for the Anglo-Welsh clash.
There’s a school of thought that says a home knockout game would be great; it’s a chance to return to Bilbao for the Final and to maintain momentum into a massive URC clash against Benetton so go full strength, then there’s a counter argument that says continue to rotate and utilise the squad to balance competitiveness with player welfare, while another school will say rest all the starters to keep them fresh for that Benetton game and take our chances away from home in the Round of 16.
I personally do not agree with the latter of those three options, but while my heart says to go full strength my head probably leans more towards trying to balance things. We already know that Josh Adams has been given the week off, while some senior internationals like Keiron Assiratti, Alex Mann, Callum Sheedy and Ben Thomas have played a decent amount of rugby since the autumn.
That still leaves plenty of good quality first team players available to face Exeter though, with a smattering of young talent sprinkled in, against an English side who may well rest of a few players themselves having gone at pretty much full strength to face Stade Francais last weekend.
It’s a week in which I don’t envy Van Zyl & co making the big decisions. Ultimately it’s momentum that is most important though, whatever side they pick, and that will come from the performance even more so than the result. Go to Sandy Park, build on the second half against Racing, and take that forward into Benetton. Hopefully the results will follow.
Cardiff Rugby Life 