psychic duck
International
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- Mar 7, 2011
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In the next part of the review of the season I look at Cardiff Blues, who underachieved this season and the Dai Young era finished at the end of it.
Tops:
Casey Laulala
Laulala has been a revelation at the Cardiff Blues, whilst the backline struggled to get going this season he has been the exception and has managed to be able to standout. He is another example after the likes of Regan King, Ben Blair, Xavier Rush of how an All Black with just a few caps can be one of the best players in Wales, he's an improvement on Tom Shanklin, as whilst Shanklin gives admirable effort and is good in defense, Laulala adds more attacking prowess to the Cardiff Blues side. Scored the Welsh regions try of the season as voted by the WRPA and was in the Magners League dream team. And despite this I still think he's under utilised at the Blues.
Andries Pretorius
Whilst Pretorius is not the ball carrier that Molitika is, he works hard all around the pitch and is unlikely to let anybody down, his tackling, rucking and work rate is his strength and he brought some younger legs into an ageing Cardiff back row. He seems to have settled into Cardiff well and will qualify for Wales after next season, whilst he is not a flash player most clubs would like a player like him in their squad.
Dan Fish
Ben Blair spent nearly all the season injured, but his boots were filled decently by 20 year old Dan Fish, the young Neil Jenkins lookalike was solid rather than spectacular but was a calm presence in a position that stands out when one makes a mistake, should keep improving over the next few seasons.
Flops:
Dan Parks
Parks has really played that disastrously himself, but he is not the type of player Cardiff Blues need and was more suited to the Scottish style of play, far too often in matches the Cardiff Blues backline would go missing due to endless kicks by Parks. As forum regular TRF_Cymro said in an blog earlier stated he "stands back like an NFL quarterback", which to me is a fair description, a playmaking fly half suits the Blues more. When he was signed he was in the form of his life leading Glasgow to the semi finals of the Magners League, but has now lost his place in the Scotland team to Ruaridh Jackson. To be fair on Parks, the Blues knew what type of player they were getting and that he would not be suited to them, so for this the blame squarely lays on Dai Young. Also although Jamie Roberts wasn't used much, this always seems to be his excuse for being absent in matches, he needs to get more involved more himself in my opinion.
Deiniol Jones
I considered putting Michael Paterson here but he hasn't had a run of games to prove himself as the player who stuff.co.nz said was "a genuine All Black prospect for the Tri Nations" when he arrived, he hasn't delivered but I'll give him another chance next season when he should get more game time. The player I have chosen here is Deiniol Jones, who struggled this season, and the fact not so long ago was in the Wales side, but this year he keeps getting minor injuries and when he does play his habit of getting turned over in contact is infuriating for Blues fans.
Tom Davies
Didn't play much and fortunately for the Blues scrum he got minced by Mike Ross in his first start I recall, and was from that point used in LV Cup games only, he has been shipped back to the Championship at the end of the season.
Casey Laulala
Laulala has been a revelation at the Cardiff Blues, whilst the backline struggled to get going this season he has been the exception and has managed to be able to standout. He is another example after the likes of Regan King, Ben Blair, Xavier Rush of how an All Black with just a few caps can be one of the best players in Wales, he's an improvement on Tom Shanklin, as whilst Shanklin gives admirable effort and is good in defense, Laulala adds more attacking prowess to the Cardiff Blues side. Scored the Welsh regions try of the season as voted by the WRPA and was in the Magners League dream team. And despite this I still think he's under utilised at the Blues.
Andries Pretorius
Whilst Pretorius is not the ball carrier that Molitika is, he works hard all around the pitch and is unlikely to let anybody down, his tackling, rucking and work rate is his strength and he brought some younger legs into an ageing Cardiff back row. He seems to have settled into Cardiff well and will qualify for Wales after next season, whilst he is not a flash player most clubs would like a player like him in their squad.
Dan Fish
Ben Blair spent nearly all the season injured, but his boots were filled decently by 20 year old Dan Fish, the young Neil Jenkins lookalike was solid rather than spectacular but was a calm presence in a position that stands out when one makes a mistake, should keep improving over the next few seasons.
Dan Parks
Parks has really played that disastrously himself, but he is not the type of player Cardiff Blues need and was more suited to the Scottish style of play, far too often in matches the Cardiff Blues backline would go missing due to endless kicks by Parks. As forum regular TRF_Cymro said in an blog earlier stated he "stands back like an NFL quarterback", which to me is a fair description, a playmaking fly half suits the Blues more. When he was signed he was in the form of his life leading Glasgow to the semi finals of the Magners League, but has now lost his place in the Scotland team to Ruaridh Jackson. To be fair on Parks, the Blues knew what type of player they were getting and that he would not be suited to them, so for this the blame squarely lays on Dai Young. Also although Jamie Roberts wasn't used much, this always seems to be his excuse for being absent in matches, he needs to get more involved more himself in my opinion.
Deiniol Jones
I considered putting Michael Paterson here but he hasn't had a run of games to prove himself as the player who stuff.co.nz said was "a genuine All Black prospect for the Tri Nations" when he arrived, he hasn't delivered but I'll give him another chance next season when he should get more game time. The player I have chosen here is Deiniol Jones, who struggled this season, and the fact not so long ago was in the Wales side, but this year he keeps getting minor injuries and when he does play his habit of getting turned over in contact is infuriating for Blues fans.
Tom Davies
Didn't play much and fortunately for the Blues scrum he got minced by Mike Ross in his first start I recall, and was from that point used in LV Cup games only, he has been shipped back to the Championship at the end of the season.
