Pro 12: Treviso 26-17 Cardiff Blues

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Treviso and Blues' forwards in action

Gutsy Treviso inflicted Cardiff Blues' first Pro12 defeat by an Italian side at Stadio di Monigo.

The match was evenly balanced until the dying stages when the hosts' superior scrum paid dividends.

Star Italy flanker Alessandro Zanni went over for Treviso, whose pack also forced a penalty try while Alberto Di Bernardo kicked 16 points.

Visiting Dafydd Hewitt and Lou Reed touched down and Ceri Sweeney kicked seven points.

Sweeney's early penalty was soon cancelled out as Treviso's direct approach led to outstanding Zanni's opening try, converted by Di Bernardo, who also added a penalty.

Discipline cost Blues - Davies

And having gone to Italy hoping to play expansively, the Blues found the poor weather conditions against them.

Phil Davies' side had to rethink their approach, leaving them exposed to the hosts renowned forward power.

However, flashes of the tactics that the visitors intended to employ were evident as centre Hewitt was set free by returning Wales Six Nations back-up scrum-half Lloyd Williams.

Sweeney's conversion levelled the scores, but Di Bernardo's second penalty gave Treviso a 13-10 lead at the break.

The Blues' line-out enjoyed a moment to savour when another of Wales' extended Six Nations squad, Reed, latched on to a loose Treviso throw to go over.

But at the other set-piece, the scrum, Treviso's dominance also paid dividends as they forced a penalty try, converted by Di Bernardo.

That came soon after flanker Michael Paterson's sin-binning amid sustained home pressure.

Home fly-half Di Bernardo added another penalty before Adam Jones' Wales tight-head understudy Scott Andrews was also sent to the sin-bin.

Andrews had been on the field since the 41st minute and committed his sin at a ruck.

But his absence was a further blow to the Blues' effort.

And as the pressure mounted, Di Bernardo kicked his final points to deny the Blues a losing bonus point.

Replacement Paul Derbyshire was denied a late try after he was judged to have knocked on in the process of gathering Di Benardo's clever grubber.

The outcome changed nothing in the table as Treviso remained eighth with the Blues a place below.

TEAMS

Treviso: Brendan Williams; Ludovico Nitoglia, Tommaso Iannone, Gideon La Grange, Christian Loamanu; Alberto Di Bernardo, Fabio Semenzato; Alberto De Marchi, Leonardo Ghiraldini (captain), Lorenzo Cittadini, Francesco Minto, Corniel Van Zyl, Dean Budd, Alessandro Zanni, Manoa Vosawai.

Replacements: Giovanni Maistri, Michele Rizzo, Jacobus Roux, Antonio Pavanello, Paul Derbyshire, Simone Favaro, Edoardo Gori, James Ambrosini.

Blues: Jason Tovey; Owen Williams, Gavin Evans, Dafydd Hewitt, Chris Czekaj; Ceri Sweeney, Lloyd Williams; Taufa'ao Filise, Kristian Dacey, Benoit Bourrust, Filo Paulo, James Down, Michael Paterson, Luke Hamilton, Rory Watts-Jones,.

Replacements: Marc Breeze, Sam Hobbs, Scott Andrews, Lou Reed, Thomas Young, Robin Copeland, Lewis Jones, Gareth Davies.

Referee: Giuseppe Vivarini (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Claudio Passacantando, Simone Boaretto (both FIR)

Citing Commissioner: Maurizio Vancini (FIR)

TMO: Mauro Dordolo (FIR)

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37 comments

  • Comment posted by U15646831, at 16:15 25 Mar 2013

    @12 What does that even mean? The Regions are fine, thanks you tiresome troll. You must get bored easily.

  • Comment posted by leachy12, at 13:47 25 Mar 2013

    @DB9 Davies took over a club with no money that lost almost half it's squad the year before. We were never going to compete for silverware this soon, be realistic. Instead we're mid table and have blooded good young players who are improving game by game and we're far more creative than last year. This isn't football, we'd never have won the Amlin or LV Cups if we sacked Dai Young after 9 months.

  • Comment posted by U15428972, at 10:32 25 Mar 2013

    @billywhizz & NickCam: This is not just about Cuthbert, there is an entire history of Internationals at the blues not playing for the region (just look at Roberts last year!). I appreciate Blues have less to play for, but TF still played for Dragons last weekend & the osprey lads as they realise who they owe loyalty to. (AWJ sets example in this area).
    WRU needs to start bearing some costs.

  • Comment posted by U15428972, at 19:07 24 Mar 2013

    Amazing how the National players all come out for injury when the sight of the red jersey - and scouts from big european clubs/lions tours offering a path to big $$$ - is presented, but start dropping like flies when the blue shirt is in their locker room. AC can burn Brown twice in the second half of a match after a first half injury but cannot even sit on bench for region.

    Central contracts!

  • Comment posted by U14749437, at 19:41 26 Mar 2013

    @36 Believe me, it would not matter what time of year the Blues played at Pontypridd no Ponty supporters would turn up (unless to support the opposition).

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 18:12 26 Mar 2013

    If the Blues played in Pontypridd no one would go watch because rugby fans in Pontypridd will be watching Pontypridd...
    If the club fixture list was over summer there would be no competition for attendances from Prem rugby and Regional rugby as they have in the SH. This will also allow the regions to see what club players are in form and bring them in before and not during the Pro12 season

  • Comment posted by gjpowell, at 17:19 26 Mar 2013

    @34
    I don't get the feeling that the rest of Gwent has bought into the Newport/Rodney Parade thing. It's disappointing. Cardiff and Newport-Gwent should be long gone - Scarlets, Ospreys, Blues & Dragons. Nothing more needs saying. And minor games should be moved around - didn't the Ospreys play minor matches in Bridgend? Last time the Blues played in Pontypridd or the Dragons in Ebbw Vale?

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 15:46 26 Mar 2013

    @32 I've always found it disappointing that Cardiff Blues still keep the Cardiff in their name. Goes completely against them being a region and makes it sound like they're a club that got lucky. OK you have Newport & Gwent Dragons but that's name checking their whole region.

    If they really want to become a proper region they need to drop it & just become the blues. 1st step to doing it.

  • Comment posted by TARW, at 15:21 26 Mar 2013

    @21
    I got modded well the truth hurts doesnt it

  • Comment posted by gjpowell, at 15:16 26 Mar 2013

    @31

    In fairness, from an outsider looking in, the Blues are not alone (their reach doesn't go as far as Pontypridd, let alone north of Merthyr). The Scarlets and the Dragons are respectively Llanelli RFC and Newport RFC. Only the Ospreys seem to be a genuine region.

  • Comment posted by wishewewerehere, at 13:45 26 Mar 2013

    How come every other Welsh region is called by it's regional name but the fair weather supporters from the capital, encouraged by the media, insist on calling their team Cardiff? If you want to watch Cardiff, they play in the Welsh Premiership. Otherwise, get with the times and move on.

  • Comment posted by gjpowell, at 13:06 26 Mar 2013

    @29

    Faletau is a solid dependable team player, which becomes critical when Morgan struggles to last 80 mins, so he will travel. Also the Dragons combination with Lydiate, who Warburton has really missed this season.

    Heaslip has been awful this season, and played himself off the plane. Easter might have travelled if it was a SA tour, but can't see Gats taking him to fast Australian pitches.

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 12:52 26 Mar 2013

    @28 I'm not a huge Faletau fan as he has a tendency to get isolated after his runs but yeah I agree with you about Heaslip, his form has dropped. Maybe it will be a Waburtonesque situation where without the captaincy his performances pick up?

    I'll also chuck in a left field surprise shout for Easter who has been in good club form but hasn't been picked nationally because of his age.

  • Comment posted by gjpowell, at 12:29 26 Mar 2013

    @27

    Faletau instead of Heaslip, who has been Ashton-esque since acquiring the Irish captaincy, and that might well be it.

    If Gats takes 7 backrow players, Wood captains us in Argentina.

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 12:11 26 Mar 2013

    @25 Lydiate would be my choice of all the Welsh backrow but a lot depends on how quickly he recovers. R Jones isn't going too competitive a position. For me the 8 backrowers would be

    Warburton
    Robshaw
    Wood
    SOB
    Tipuric
    Lydiate (if fit) Brown if not.
    Morgan (if fit Faleatau if not)
    Heaslip

  • Comment posted by gjpowell, at 12:09 26 Mar 2013

    The Welsh will cope with player losses to France (at least they are still available to the national side, which beats what used to happen with RL before 1995).

    But they do need to rebuild their domestic structure once funds are released from paying off the stadium debt. Ospreys are the only real region, with the Blues, Scarlets & Dragons basically Cardiff, Llanelli & Newport RFCs.

  • Comment posted by U14900468, at 11:42 26 Mar 2013

    Looking forward to the game at the millennium.

    What I'm wondering is if its possible that Gatland will take Lydiate, Warbs and Tips on Lions. There are some quality 6/7's on offer throughout the home nations. Wales have a lot of depth within those positions.. Not to mention Ryan Jones.. I have a feeling this Lions team will be somewhat Welsh.

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 11:41 26 Mar 2013

    @23 £600,000? That's crazy. Can't see how any regional/prem side can offer the same and you can't blame the players for taking it. Afterall how many of us would turn down a much higher paying job out of a sense of loyalty?

    Worrying for the future as the French sides are favourites for the HC and this may be the sign of things to come.

  • Comment posted by leachy12, at 10:55 26 Mar 2013

    @SteveWalsh: It's partly down to the player drain but also injuries (usually picked up playing for Wales) haven't helped, but I still think they're underachieving. Sexton is reportedly earning £600,000 pa at Racing Metro, that's a 5th of the regions budget, so it's impossible to keep up. So far Roberts is the only 'star' to leave this season so all in all the Blues aren't doing too badly.

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 10:35 26 Mar 2013

    @20 Agreed. No club in the UK or Italy can financially compete with some of the French teams. I think I read somewhere that the salary cap for the Welsh regions is £3m, Prem sides is £4 and T14 sides its £6.1m. The regions are always going to struggle when another side has more than double the money to spend on players.

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