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Cardiff Blues have no chance of a Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final but they have it all to play for when they play hosts to Sale Sharks at the Arms Park. - 17/01/2013 18:02
Cardiff Blues have no chance of a Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final but they have it all to play for when they play hosts to Sale Sharks at the Arms Park.
The Welsh side, who reached last season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals, have yet to win a game in this season’s tournament but they are in danger of losing their place as one of the top six ranked teams in Europe.
The side from the Welsh capital are currently ranked the fifth best side in Europe and because of that avoided their fellow top six seeds in the draw for the Pools of the Heineken Cup.
But a defeat for the Blues to the Sharks would threaten their place as one of the top six seeds so they will be going all out to make sure they get all the points on offer on Saturday afternoon.
Cardiff will also want to exact revenge on Sharks side which recorded a last ditch 34-33 victory over the Welsh side in the opening game of this Pool at the Salford City Stadium back in October.
The Welsh region looked to have sewn up an easy win, wing Alex Cuthbert a constant danger, but their second half capitulation was the worst possible defeat at the start of Europe and gave the English side their only win in the Pool.
Both sides are now out of Europe and were well beaten by French opposition in their last Pool game, with the Blues beaten 45-25 by Toulon and Sale lost 27-6 to Montpellier.
Match Facts
- Cardiff Blues have managed 19 wins against English clubs in this tournament, losing 16 and drawing three.
- Sale are currently enduring a run of four consecutive defeats in this competition, the longest in their history.
- Sale have three victories over Cardiff, who have boast two against Saturday’s opposition. Sale’s three wins produce an aggregate score of 87-83 having never won by a bigger margin than two points.
- Cardiff have lost their last six Heineken Cup matches, their worst run of form in this tournament since they lost 10 in succession between January 2002 and January 2004.
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Alongside Benetton Treviso, Cardiff have suffered from conceding more turnovers per game than any side. They average 10.4 per match.
Cardiff Blues scrum half Lloyd Williams says it was a job well done by his side as they beat London Irish 22-15 in Reading to stay on course for quarter-final qualification
Cardiff Blues have had a campaign to forget – but at least they finished on a high with their first tournament win with a 26-14 victory over Sale Sharks at the Arms Park.
Droves of loyal supporters answered a call to arms at the iconic ground and cleared more than six inches of snow after Cardiff was hit by the big freeze – and their efforts were rewarded with the four points.
Wales scrum half Lloyd Williams returned from suspension to inspire the Blues with a performance of the highest class as the Welsh region piled the misery on Sale Sharks.
Tommy Taylor drove over for the game’s opening try but Cardiff lead at the break thanks to the boot of Leigh Halfpenny.
Aston Croall grabbed a second try for the visitors but the Blues battled back into contention with Williams pouncing for a sublime individual effort before creating another for Michael Paterson.
Halfpenny kept the score ticking over to end with 16 points as the Blues avoided a Heineken Cup whitewash and leap-frogged Sale Sharks into third at the bottom of Pool 6.
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