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Six stats to worry Cardiff Blues fans ahead of the Challenge Cup Final
By Online Editors
The Cardiff Blues face off against Gloucester in this weekend's Challenge Cup final in Bilbao.
The Blues booked their place in the Bilbao final with a stunning 16-10 victory over Pau at the Arms Park last month and will now take on the Cherry and Whites at San Mamés Stadium with an eye on repeating the feat of 2010, when Dai Young's side beat Toulon.
This will be the second meeting between the clubs in the Challenge Cup. Gloucester won last season’s quarter-final clash 46-26.
Sadly for the Cardiff Blues, there's a pattern, with most of the stats stacked in favour of the Cherry and Whites.
Continue reading below...
• The last three Challenge Cup finals have all been decided by a single figure margin, a sequence that started with Gloucester’s 19-13 win over Edinburgh in 2015.
• Gloucester are bidding to equal Harlequins’ record of three Challenge Cup titles having won in 2006 and 2015.
• The Blues have averaged 16.9 points and 1.9 tries per game on their way to the final. Only Oyonnax (1.8) have averaged fewer tries in the competition this season and only Enisei (15.2) have averaged fewer points.
• Conversely only Edinburgh (5.7 tries, 41.1 points) have averaged more tries and points than Gloucester this season (5.6, 39.9).
• Gloucester have won a competition high 98% of their own scrums this season, losing just one of 58 against the head.
• Jake Polledri has beaten 28 defenders in his seven appearances, the most of any forward this season. He has also completed 95% of his 65 tackles and won eight turnovers, while his total of 323 metres is the second most by a forward and the most by any player in the Gloucester squad.
But, conversely, on the bright side...
• Thirty-seven year-old Gethin Jenkins, who played in a losing Challenge Cup final with Pontypridd in 2002, and who captained the Cardiff Blues to victory in 2010, could become the first player to lead a winning side in two finals.
• Cardiff Blues are the only Welsh side to have won a European title beating RC Toulon 28-21 in the 2010 Challenge Cup final. Gethin Jenkins and Taufa'ao Filise both started that match in Marseille while Scott Andrews was on the bench.
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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