Cardiff snatch win with last-minute penalty

Cardiff 27 Bourgoin 24

An injury-time penalty by Nick Robinson gave Cardiff a fortuitous victory and a Heineken Cup double over their French visitors.

Bourgoin, without a win in their previous 13 European away games, battled back from a 19-point deficit to draw level in the closing stages, thanks to the power of their impressive pack, only for Robinson to have the final word.

The Blues showed their intention to spread the ball from the opening exchanges and were rewarded with a fifth-minute try when full-back Ben Blair cut inside to score, with Robinson converting.

The fly-half was a surprise omission from Wales’ autumn international squad, with coach Gareth Jenkins blaming the fact that he was no longer first choice kicker for the Blues, following the arrival of New Zealander Blair.

With Jenkins announcing his RBS 6 Nations party on Monday, the Blues had clearly decided to give Robinson every opportunity to stake his claim and he showed his gratitude with a long-range penalty.

Blair presumably felt he had to get his points elsewhere and once again popped up on the left flank to round off a fine move in which his compatriot, Xavier Rush, played a key role. Robinson landed the kick from the touchline.

Bourgoin wing Jean-Francois Coux, earlier held up at the flag, crossed only to find Italian referee Carlo Damasco ruling out the try because of a blocking offence by Davit Khinchagishvili.

But the Georgia prop made up for his error by claiming a touchdown of his own as the visiting forwards drove the short range line-up back.

Bourgoin saw Kiwi centre Glenn Davis hobble off early, lost skipper Julien Bonnaire at half-time, and found themselves further behind early in the second period.

A neat kick ahead by the influential Robinson was gathered by centre Nick Macleod, who strolled beneath the posts to give the creator an early conversion.

The French club kept trying and might have had a second score, but the ubiquitous Khinchagishvili injured himself trying to get over by an upright.

But the try was only momentarily delayed with Scottish flanker Mark Rennie diving over for a score the visitors deserved following several minutes of sustained pressure. Sebastien Laloo added the extras.

With the Blues ringing the changes, Bourgoin, the wind behind them, grabbed another try, the persistent Coux finally getting his reward.

And they drew level when replacement prop Pascal Peyron forced his way over and Laloo again converted.

Faced with possible defeat the Blues stormed downfield, and a break by centre Jamie Robinson earned the position for brother Nick to land a decisive penalty.