With the likes of Sam Warburton, Bradley Davies and Gethin Jenkins all unavailable, it was a remarkable performance from the Blues as they got the better of a Glasgow side featuring three British & Irish Lions and a number of other internationals.
Man of the match Rhys Patchell guided them to victory, producing another calm and composed performance. The young Wales pivot crossed for the opening try and added a penalty as the home side led 16-7 at the break.
Leigh Halfpenny had converted Patchell’s try and kicked two penalties with Sean Maitland replying and Duncan Weir adding the extras.
Glasgow had offered little in an entertaining first half but after the break, Weir got them back to within six points. That was as close as it got though as an Alex Cuthbert interception sealed the win for the Blues. Replacement Leone Nakarawa had the last laugh for Glasgow but it was a mere consolation as they failed to claim a losing bonus point.
A breathless opening 10 minutes saw both sides guilty of kicking ball away but after DTH van der Merwe and Cuthbert had showed the danger in the respective back lines, it was the Blues who had the first chance of points.
Halfpenny put a penalty effort wide but was successful with a second attempt and with a 3-0 lead, the Blues nearly moved further clear. After Glasgow turned the ball over on the Cardiff line, the home side went the length of the field with Patchell leading the charge. The ball eventually found its way to Cuthbert but with a score begging, he failed to ground the ball under pressure from numerous Glasgow tacklers.
The Wales winger’s disappointment was clear but a Patchell penalty from five metres inside his own half soon extended the lead to six. The opening moments aside, the Blues were dominant, playing some entertaining stuff with conditions on the 4G surface perfectly suited to running rugby.
And with the home side doing most of the attacking, the opening try soon arrived. The Blues moved the ball left and right inside the Glasgow 22 and when the ball was spread to Patchell, the young fly half made light of the few attacking options outside him. Head down, he powered over the line and although George Clancy referred the score to the TMO, the try was given. Halfpenny converted and added a second penalty to complete a thoroughly satisfying first half hour.
Up till that point, Glasgow had been disappointing but on the verge of the half time whistle, their attacking game finally clicked. British & Irish Lion Maitland danced through and with Weir converting, the Scottish side turned around nine points behind.
The second 40 started in a similar way to the first, both sides going hell for leather at each other. Lloyd Williams came close to adding a second home try but the Blues were compensated when the relentless Halfpenny pushed their lead back out to 12 points.
Weir responded with a difficult kick from the right hand touchline and as the game became scrappier, so Glasgow saw more of the ball. Weir’s second penalty following a questionable call for a high tackle kept them in it but with the game now in the balance, the Blues rediscovered some energy.
Halfpenny’s fourth penalty calmed some nerves at the Arms Park and when Cuthbert added a second try, the home crowd breathed a sigh of relief.
The Wales winger intercepted a loose Glasgow pass, raced 90 metres and brushed off the covering van der Merwe to dot down under the posts. Halfpenny converted and although Nakarawa made it two tries each almost on the final whistle, the Blues saw an impressive team performance crowned with a win. Â
