Medical staff popped the shoulder back in as the game reached its conclusion to give Shanklin some hope of making the trip to South Africa.
Seven Blues players who were involved in the heartbreaking Heineken Cup defeat to Leicester Tigers last Sunday started the vital clash.
The Dragons had a strong wind behind their backs but the early stages were dominated by the home side. Wing Tom James looked dangerous with a couple of surging runs while No8 Andy Powell enjoyed the wide open spaces.
Blues full-back Ben Blair opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a penalty after the Dragons were penalised for hands in the ruck. Four minutes later the Kiwi added another penalty after the Dragons prop Adam Black was sin binned for approaching a ruck from an off-side position. The transgression earned Black 10 minutes in the sin bin and cost his side three points.
Wales hopeful Jason Tovey gave the visitors some hope in the 14th minute when he landed a long range drop goal after a loose Blues clearance kick found the full-back in centre-field with plenty of time to make his shot count. Shanklin was causing the Dragons midfield duo Ashley Smith and Rhodri Gomer Davies a number of problems but the Blues failed to take advantage.
The Dragons had a chance to get back on level terms in the 28th minute but Shaun O’Connor’s shot penalty attempt drifted wide of the uprights. Things went from bad to worse for the Dragons fly-half four minutes later when Shanklin plucked a pass from the fly half out of thin air. Shanklin ran 60m to the line to give Blair an easy conversion as the Blues shot to a 13-3 lead.
Blues prop Taufa’ao Filise was penalised for being off-side in the 37th minute to give Tovey an easy penalty to give the Blues a halftime lead of 13-6.
Indiscipline continued to hinder Dragons hopes with flanker Lewis Evans penalised for being off-side in the 52nd minute. Blair stepped up and chipped over another three points to put the Blues two clear scores ahead of their opponents.
The Dragons fought back bravely and showed plenty of spirit with lock Hoani Macdonald and Gareth Wyatt making ground but they could only add a James Arlidge penalty to the score which was quickly cancelled out by Blair’s fourth penalty.
With 16 minutes remaining the Dragons had the opportunity to get back to within a losing bonus point but Arlidge missed a relatively simply penalty. By now the Dragons were taking the game to the Blues. They continued to hammer away but couldn’t make the vital breakthrough.
In the 67th minute James received a yellow card for not rolling away at a ruck and Arlidge nailed the penalty to bring the Dragons to within seven points.
A minute later, Dragons loose play gifted the Blues a try when Dan Lydiate threw a wild pass straight to Jamie Robinson who strolled to the line unhindered to give Blair an easy conversion.
The Blues triumph dragged David Young’s side up to fifth place in the table but the Dragons are now second from bottom, just one point behind the Scarlets the squabble for Heineken Cup rugby continues.
Scorers: Blues: Try – Shanklin, Robinson; Con – Blair (2); Pens – Blair (4)
Dragons: Pen – Tovey, Arlidge (2); Dgl – Tovey.
