BLUES BRUSH PAST SARACENS

BLUES 37 SARACENS 20

There is just the hint of a revival at the Blues after a long period of underperforming and, no doubt buoyed by the double incentive of renewed rivalry with the top English clubs and the news of Kiwi Legend Jonah Lomu’s impending arrival, the fans turned out in unusually high numbers, and witnessed a stunning win over Saracens at the Arms Park.

They weren’t disappointed as the Blues raced into a 21-3 first-half lead courtesy of tries from Craig Morgan, Jamie Robinson and Robin Sowden-Taylor. Morgan’s score came after he intercepted a Kevin Sorrell pass 40 metres out and Robinson scorched 65 metres for his try.

Sowden-Taylor had a shorter run in after skipper Rhys Williams had sped 60 metres before sending the back row man coatsing in at the posts. Nicky Robinson converted all three and added a penalty on the stroke of half-time in response to a Sorrell solo try had given the English side some hope.

The new Powergen Cup may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it had them flocking to Rodney Parade to see the Dragons slay Leicester Tigers on Friday night and there were 8,212, about 2,000 up on their Celtic League attendances, to see the Blues open their account in the competition.

The second saw Nicky Robinson and Glen Jackson swap penalties before the Saracens took full advanatge of Craig Quinnell’s 10 minute sojourn in the sin-bin with a rolling maul try for hooker Matt Carins that Jackson improved.

If that caused a few flutters in home hearts, the sin-binning of Sorrell, and the arrival of another Kiwi import Xavier Rush for his debut, steadied the ship. Nicky Robinson added another penalty anbd then hoisted his personal tally to 22 points with a bonus point try which he also converted.

There was just time for a second yellow card for the visitors to Iain Fullarton, and for Grand Slam hero Martyn Williams to play his first 20 minutes of the season, but the night belonged to the Blues’ brothers Robinson.