Six tries saw the Blues beat their regional rivals in a homecoming friendly
CARDIFF Blues returned home in winning ways, beating regional rivals Ospreys 38-21, ahead of their final four PRO14 fixtures.
In their first game back at Arms Park since February last year, Dai Young’s men took charge early on to comfortably lead the side to victory in their friendly.
All eyes were on the long-awaited return of 27-year-old Ellis Jenkins, who returned to play today (Friday) after a two-year absence.
Jenkins ruptured his knee ligaments during Wales’ momentous 20-11 win against South Africa in November 2018.
The Welsh flanker showed he meant business early on, forcing a turnover near his own try line in the 16th minute and scoring the hosts’ fourth try of the first half.
His withdrawal at half-time was pre-planned and will hopefully be the first step in a return to full-time play for the Blues and the national side.
Another positive for the Blues was Owen Lane’s return after being out for two months with a foot injury. The winger managed to score a try during the match’s free-scoring first half.
The Blues’ started as they meant to go on, with a solid showing from the start. About 12 minutes in Aled Summerhill stormed his way to the opening try of the game.
The Ospreys offended at a line-out maul and with the hosts playing the advantage, the ball went wide with Dan Fish hitting the line and putting Summerhill over to score.
However, Jason Tovey failed to score the conversion, putting the Blues 5-0 up.
Their lead was then extended to 12-0, with 18-year-old Mason Grady proving to be an asset to the Blues in the midfield, helping to send Summerhill to the line once more.
Tovey’s conversion saw the Blues’ command the game, with only 19 minutes on the clock.
The Ospreys’ centre Callum Carson and fly-half Luke Price then got the visitors on the board, with their try and conversion putting the score at 12-7.
On 25 minutes Lane extended the Blues’ lead to 19-7, with Tovey once more converting from near the touchline.
Five minutes later and the Ospreys’ scrum-half Matthew Aubrey and Price closed the gap to five points.
Try number four came courtesy of Jenkins, in a stellar example of play from Lane and Grady and himself.
Lane dived from his right wing to meet up with the line out on the left and sliced his way through to throw an inside pass, which went to ground.
Grady then hacked his way through to Jenkins, who managed to get it across the line. Despite a review by referee Dan Jones into whether it was offside, the try was allowed to stand, marking an astounding comeback from Jenkins.
Half-time saw the hosts lead 26-14, before the Ospreys shrunk the deficit to five points once more.
Hooker Dewi Lake rounded off a maul drive to the line, with Price coming through to convert once more.
However, the Blues’ efforts were not over yet, with two of their substitutes coming in to score at the 58th minute.
Hooker Iestyn Harris took the Blues’ fifth try, with Luke Scully putting his side 33-21 up.
The final try of the game came at the 68th minute, with replacement Blues centre Harri Millard forcing his way over the line after a direct pass from the attacking scrum.
As the full-time whistle blew, the Blues celebrated a strong 38-21 victory over their rivals and a perfect return to their home ground.
They will be hoping this momentum continues heading into their next PRO14 game, when they travel to Galway to face Connacht next Saturday.
- Connacht v Cardiff Blues kicks off on Saturday, February 20 at 7.35pm GMT.
