Blues move clear at top of Pool 6

Leigh Halfpenny’s double and strikes from Gareth Thomas and Nicky Robinson puts the Welsh region five points clear of their rivals in Pool 6 after a 37-24 victory against the Cherry and Whites.

Gloucester and England wing Ian Balshaw also touched down twice but it was in vein as a Welsh record crowd of 27,114 witnessed a compelling European contest. 

Blues No8 Andy Powell produced a man-of-the-match, all-action display that will have been noted by watching Wales coach Warren Gatland who names his Autumn squad on Tuesday. 

The Blues got off to the perfect start when 19-year-old wing Halfpenny opened the try-scoring from Ben Blair’s pass inside two minutes. 

Blair and Olly Barkley exchanged penalties before British Lion Gethin Jenkins nearly cut Gloucester’s Carlos Nieto in half with a monster hit. 

But the Guinness Premiership outfit hit back on 22 minutes when full-back Olly Morgan crossed from Balshaw’s delayed pass. 

Gloucester took a 17-13 lead when Luke Narraway fed Balshaw to touch down in the right corner before Halfpenny got the hosts back in front with his second after seizing on Barkley’s flick-pass to sprint clear from the halfway line. 

Cardiff were on the front foot and within 60 seconds Thomas added a third with the game’s outstanding try. 

Blair made the break from deep and Wales veteran Thomas capped off a sensational move from Jamie Robinson’s try-scoring pass. 

Blair’s conversion handed the Blues a commanding 27-17 interval lead but Gloucester remained in the hunt on 48 minutes when Balshaw after neat work from Mike Tindall. 

But fly-half Robinson sealed an emphatic win and the vital bonus-point on the hour mark before the Blues’ defence held firm to deny Gloucester two bonus points.