Posted by It’s not actually the first time Cardiff have lost three in a row under Corniel Van Zyl, that came in March and April when the Blue & Blacks went down twice in South Africa and then away to Benetton in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
It is the first time that three defeats have felt properly significant though, which in many ways is odd to say considering that the opponents have been reigning United Rugby Championship champions Leinster, reigning Gallagher PREM champions Northampton Saints and a Springbok-strewn Sharks.
The added significance comes in-part from the fact that the Sharks defeat was at home. There was juts a singular loss at the Arms Park last season, in that tough performance against the Scarlets before Christmas, so supporters certainly feel it more keenly when those results do come around in the Welsh capital.
And then in-part due to the winnable nature of at least two of the games, and what should have been a much more competitive showing in the third.
Away at Leinster it was an undoubtedly slow start with some soft tries conceded, but after that Cardiff had so much territory and possession only to fail to convert that into points. Then at Northampton the Blue & Blacks worked hard to get back into the game at the hour mark before the hosts ran away with it in the final quarter.
Now of course each of the opponents are very, very good teams. Leinster need no introduction as the best side in the URC for at least a decade, with their squad being the vast majority of the Ireland squad, Northampton supply a number of players to the England squad and have been one of the best sides in the Prem for the last few years.
Sharks have been disappointing as a unit for a few years, but their individual quality is undoubted with a number of Rugby World Cup winning Springboks in their ranks alongside some very exciting young talent. A pack that could contain Ox Nche, Thomas Du Toit and Eben Etzebeth, a backline with Jaden Hendrikse, Andre Esterhuizen and Makazole Mapimpi. It is stacked.
JP Pietersen has come in as Head Coach though and seems to be doing a very good job in corralling them into a cohesive team if Friday night’s evidence is anything to go by. It’s still not 100% effective, but considering both of their starting centres went off early they played some clinical attacking rugby and put Cardiff to the sword.
From the Blue & Blacks’ perspective though, while all of the above regarding the strength of the opposition is true, it remains a fact that if there remains a desire to really push into the top teams in the league and be competitive in the Champions Cup then there is a need to win at least a porportion of these fixtures.
It’s not like Corniel Van Zyl’s men are a million miles away. Once James Botham had gone over for his second try of the night and given the hosts the lead with the weather firmly at their backs, the win was very much there for the taking. Unfortunately what followed was the difference between winning and losing at the highest level.
Every single little moment in the last 20 minutes was won by the Sharks; whether it was getting on loose balls, winning collisions, getting on top at the set piece, executing with ball-in-hand and being consistently disciplined. It was even at the point that Cardiff began making unneeded and completely unnecessary unforced errors to give away cheap penalties.
Alex Mann is a terrific player, and very much loved by the Arms Park faithful. His niggly shithousery gives the pack a much needed edge among a group of quite nice lads, but he’s still a young player and learning where the line is. Unfortunately he was too far over the wrong side of it on Friday when his pushing and shoving after the second Botham try sucked some momentum out of the team, and then the penalty conceded for hitting the scrum-half late was totally needless.
That wasn’t the only reason Cardiff lost on the night though as in truth nobody really put their hand up in the final quarter as a leader or a key player. It was a disappointing end to a much anticipated game that clearly the management had circled in their calendar as winnable having heavily rotated for the trip to Northampton and named pretty much a strongest possible 23.
It doesn’t mean that decision was wrong, but it should lead to some reflection on why the chosen path did not work. For now though all attention goes on to the final game of the block away at Ospreys next week in a Welsh derby that could well go a long way to deciding the rest of the season for the Blue & Blacks.
Win and it’s a great momentum boost to go to St Helen’s without internationals and escape with some valuable points we didn’t secure last season, but lose and it’s suddenly a big uphill climb to get back in the play-offs and stay at European rugby’s top table.
It’s maybe a bit early to say the campaign is fully on the line, but it’s certainly hovering over it.
