EDINBURGH missed an opportunity to go top of the table as a selection ravaged by injuries and international calls meant it was virtually a second team who came off second best at Cardiff Arms Park last night.
However, getting a spirited losing bonus point against the odds and the run of play could prove more than helpful given how close things are among the top teams.
It seemed several times that the Blues were on the verge of running away with it, but missed penalties and the television match official disallowing tries meant the points didn’t materialise for the home team. While it was a loss in the end for Edinburgh, there was plenty of encouragement in the grit of the performance.
Defeats for Scarlets and Leinster had given Edinburgh, who started the weekend in third place in the Guinness PRO12, that opportunity to go top on a chilly evening in Cardiff. With 11 changes, seven of them up front, from the team which played in Europe last week, seven up front, and captain Mike Coman press-ganged into action in the second row because of injuries, it was always going to be tricky against a resurgent Cardiff side whose ninth place in the table is at odds with recent results. An uphill task for Edinburgh got steeper as early in the second minute when a straightforward backs move put home wing Aled Summerhill clear on the outside on the left with full back Dan Fish in support to score the try. Rhys Patchell converted from touch.
Patchell and Nathan Fowles exchanged penalties, but the home side stayed within reach as Italy No 8 Manoa Vosawai was twice denied tries, firstly for a double movement and then losing control of the ball.
So while at times it looks as though Edinburgh were in danger of being overrun in the first half, they went in at the break with an encouraging deficit of just 10-3.
They then found themselves down to 14 men with prop Rory Sutherland sent to the bin for obstructing a Blues player looking to take a quick penalty tap.
Edinburgh survived that period, but it seemed they had finally succumbed immediately afterwards. Patchell, who had missed a couple of very kickable penalties, went over in the corner only to be called back for a line-out for the tiniest of touches on the edge of the touch line. It was the second time the Blues had lined up back in their own half only for the try to be disallowed.
Scorers: Cardiff Blues: Try: Fish. Con: Patchell. Pen: Patchell.
Edinburgh: Pen: Fowles.
Cardiff Blues: D Fish; B Scully, R Lee-Lo, G Evans (J Evans 65), A Summerhill; R Patchell, T Knoyle (T Williams 65); T Davies (B Thyer 71), M Rees (Capt, E Lewis 72)), S Ma'afu (D Lewis 50), J Hoeata, J Down, E Jenkins, J Navidi, M Vosawai.
Edinburgh: G Tonks; D Fife, M Allen, A Strauss (W Helu 45), T Brown; P Burleigh, N Fowles (S Kennedy 78); R Sutherland, N Cochrane (S McInally 68), J Andress (S Bergham 70), A Toolis, M Coman (Capt), J Ritchie (A Dell 60-70), H Watson, C Du Preez.
Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU)
Attendance: 6058.
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