Cardiff maintain winning form

Cardiff Blues 42 Border Reivers 11

Cardiff Blues were inspired by brothers Jamie and Nicky Robinson as they clinched a fourth successive Celtic League victory.

The comprehensive win against Border Reivers means Cardiff have now beaten all three Scottish regions in consecutive weeks.

Centre Jamie was a four-try hero against the same opponents two years ago, and today he grabbed two more while brother Nicky contributed 12 points with the boot.

The Blues made a stuttering start, but got off the mark with two Nicky Robinson penalties.

Flanker Andy Powell hurt himself trying to charge down a kick and had to be replaced by Robin Sowden-Taylor, but the Borders backrow was also disrupted when Kelly Brown was yellow-carded for slowing down ball.

The Scots managed to survive their spell with 14 men, despite a gallop down the left touchline by Jonah Lomu, the giant New Zealander looking more like his old self than in previous outings for the Blues.

It was American Kort Schubert, however, who played a key role in the game’s first try, collecting from scrum-half Mark Phillips to send Jamie Robinson speeding over for a touchdown which brother Nicky converted.

The Reivers began throwing the ball wide themselves and were rewarded before the interval when swift passing from right to left allowed centre Ben MacDougall to wrong-foot Chris Czekaj and cross for an unconverted try.

But the Scots left a massive gap in midfield in the opening minute of the second half for Jamie Robinson to stroll under the posts and make it simple for his younger brother.

Reivers centre Calum MacRae, who had missed a couple of early kicks, found his range to keep his team in touch.

But the Blues were not to be denied, a driving maul gaining 30 yards before Australian Marc Stcherbina sliced through and once again provided an easy conversion for Robinson.

MacRae pulled back another three points, but the Blues secured their bonus point when replacement Rhys Thomas went over from a driving lineout.

Replacement fly-half Nick Macleod grabbed an opportunist try, converting it himself, and added the extras when Mark Lewis ended the scoring.

The celebrations were muted, however, as Lomu, hurt in the build-up, had to be helped off with a leg injury.