Another tough test waits for understudies against the English Champions
QUARANTINING rules mean that Cardiff Rugby’s squad remains depleted for their second Champions Cup match against Harlequins on Saturday.
Cardiff Rugby are set to remain without quarantining players for Saturday’s game (1pm K.O) at Twickenham Stoop.
The English champions won their opening fixture with a hard fought 20-18 win at Castres last weekend, as they remain the only team to beat them at home in the competition since 2015.
Missing 32 regulars against Toulouse last time out, Cardiff Rugby had to call on eleven debutants from semi-professional outfit Cardiff RFC and youngsters from their own academy. The makeshift side put in a brave performance, even managing to take the lead halfway through the first half.
A heroic fight against the holders eventually ended in a 39-7 loss, with the bonus point win for Toulouse seeing them sit top of Pool B.
Arms Park welcomed recently crowned World Rugby Player of the Year Alexander Dupant, who scored Toulouse’s third try and played a hand in all the others. He is the first French player to win the award since Thierry Dusautoir in 2011.
Welsh international Josh Adams scored the side’s only try to give Cardiff Rugby a shock lead against the French side, but the reigning champions eventually showed their class, racing into a 20-7 half-time lead.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Cardiff Rugby’s winger and scorer, Josh Adams said: “Some of the youngsters that were asked to step up, were excellent, they didn’t look out of place at all. It was a great occasion for them to have all their family and friends here. I thought they held their own as well; they were terrific.”
Academy manager Gruff Rees stepped in to manage the side, and said: “Yes, we’re involved in high performance rugby but there is also a bit of a Corinthian spirit about what we’ve done here today. The crowd were brilliant, and that resonated before-hand with the group.”
Speaking after the game, Cardiff Rugby captain Ellis Jenkins said: “It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced, under the circumstances, this time last week we weren’t sure if the game was going to go ahead. I can’t thank the boys enough who stepped in this week.”
Cardiff’s hooker Iestyn Harris and fly half Jason Tovey were both withdrawn in the second half, although Rees hopes they will be fit to face Harlequins.
He added: “That’s nothing different to what we’ve lived in over the last couple of weeks, being on the phone constantly. We’ll look at the registrations we’ve got and how best we can put a squad together.”
The game will be available to watch on both Channel 4 and BT Sport 3.
