Cardiff sink hapless Leeds

Cardiff Blues 40 Leeds 13

Hapless Leeds crashed to an eighth successive defeat of the season as Cardiff produced a storming second-half performance to launch their Heineken Cup campaign in style.

The Guinness Premiership strugglers were blown away after leading 13-6 at half-time.

They saw the Blues rack up 34 unanswered points, including four tries in 22 minutes for hooker Gareth Williams (2), flanker Robin Sowden-Taylor and prop John Yapp.

Blues fly-half Nicky Robinson contributed heavily to the rout, booting 20 points as Cardiff announced clear quarter-final intentions from Pool Two.

But Leeds, reeling after five Premiership defeats, two Powergen Cup reversals and a Heineken Cup hammering, are in disarray.

New Zealand import Justin Marshall did his utmost to rally them, and there were spells of the game when an away win looked possible, but once Cardiff found some form, Tykes capitulated.

The Blues now travel to group favourites Perpignan next Friday, when Leeds host Italian minnows Calvisano, and on today’s evidence, Tykes cannot take victory for granted.

Cardiff were without former All Blacks back-row forward Xavier Rush, who was sidelined because of a shoulder injury, while long-term absentees – Lions Tom Shanklin and Gethin Jenkins – again missed out.

Tykes boss Phil Davies dropped Lions hooker Gordon Bulloch, preferring Rob Rawlinson in the front row, and fit-again South African international AndreSnyman returned on the wing as Leeds looked to end a demoralising losing streak.

Cardiff made all the early running, stringing together several promising passages of play before Robinson opened their account through a seventh-minute penalty.

Leeds were hesitant in contrast, and Marshall hardly helped his team’s cause when he threw the ball away after Tykes conceded a penalty, prompting referee Rob Dickson to march the visitors a further 10 metres backwards.

But Marshall made amends as a scrappy opening quarter drew to its close. The former All Blacks scrum-half blasted open Cardiff’s midfield defence, and Snyman collected his pass before trotting over unopposed.

Ross slotted the conversion, leaving Cardiff to rue conceding a soft try that gave Leeds much-needed momentum.

Marshall quickly added a drop-goal as the Blues struggled to regroup, and although Robinson narrowed the deficit by landing a 34th-minute penalty, a Ross strike three minutes later re-established Tykes’ healthy lead.

Cardiff, after such a promising start, slipped into error-strewn mode, repeatedly being unable to progress beyond first or second-phase possession because of handling errors or conceding turnover ball.

Leeds simply mopped things up around the forward fringes, and with Marshall and Snyman starring head and shoulders above the mediocrity on show, Tykes were good value for their 13-6 interval lead.

Robinson narrowed the gap by completing his penalty hat-trick on 43 minutes, and it was a cue for Cardiff to widen their approach, freeing wing Craig Morgan from inside his own half, and only frantic Leeds defence cut him down.

The Blues, undoubtedly responding to a half-time roasting from coach David Young, warmed to their task, and Leeds were pinned back as Cardiff produced a spell of sustained pressure.

Despite the best efforts of marauding Tykes flanker Richard Parks to snaffle Blues’ ball, Cardiff finally broke through when Martyn Williams found fellow flanker Sowden-Taylor clear outside him, and he touched down wide out.

Robinson added the touchline conversion, hoisting Cardiff 16-13 ahead and leaving Leeds in an all too familiar position this season – trailing.

Any realistic hope Leeds had of clawing their way back into an increasingly one-sided contest evaporated with 20 minutes remaining.

Cardiff caught Leeds napping at a lineout, and a quick exchange of passes between Williams and lock Craig Quinnell saw Williams dash 15 metres to score.

The unflappable Robinson again converted, and Cardiff could suddenly scent a bonus point, knowing that two more tries would guarantee a maximum five-point haul.

Tykes sent on Italian international Roland De Marigny for Ross, but his first kick was charged down by Morgan, and Yapp did not require a second invitation to claim a rare try.

And the bonus point duly arrived with eight minutes remaining, after Williams rounded off a mighty Blues forward drive to complete Leeds’ misery.