What a final. What a finale. Cardiff Blues fought back magnificently to secure their first silverware in eight years with only 65 seconds remaining, winning 31-30, as Gareth Anscombe landed a nerveless penalty despite missing a conversion just moments earlier. This was no mere warm-up act to the Champions Cup Final, more a rip-roaring contest of high quality in its own right, full of ebb and flow, cut and thrust, with a stirring Blues second-half recovery. Bravo to one and all. If the European Challenge Cup organisers were looking to convert the Basques to rugby’s cause, this was just the match to showcase the sport. “What we trained all season for was to give ourselves an opportunity like this,” said Blues captain Ellis Jenkins. “It took us 79 minutes but we got there in the end. Gareth is a quality player and there was no doubt in my mind he wasn’t going to miss two in a row.” Anscombe was a pivotal figure, always busy, always eager to take the game to Gloucester, playing a key role in Tomos Williams’ try 49 seconds after the second-half restart that triggered the Blues’ revival. “I can’t believe it to be honest,” said Anscombe. “We came in at half-time disappointed because we weren’t firing any shots. I was knackered – they were two big kicks and I couldn’t miss that second one. I was relieved when it went through the uprights.” The Blues have been in the doldrums for too long and this may just be the… [Read full story]
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