Cardiff 17-8 Benetton: The Blue and Blacks secure much-needed victory

Player of the Match Josh McNally scored as fly-half Callum Sheedy and replacement Ioan Lloyd kicked 12 points between them from the tee.

In what was a scrappy affair, Benetton crossed the whitewash through Federico Ruzza, and fullback Rhyno Smith added a penalty.

It was a victory that keeps Cardiff's hopes alive of finishing in the top eight of the league, as a tricky climax awaits the capital city side, who have to go to South Africa for two fixtures in the coming months.

Following their 31-0 thumping six days prior against Exeter Chiefs in the EPCR Challenge Cup, Cardiff head coach Corniel van Zyl made 12 changes to his starting XV for their crucial BKT United Rugby Championship meeting against the Italian outfit.

Debutant Nicolas Roger Farias got proceedings underway, and it was his side who started the stronger with the ball in hand, but strong defence from the hosts saw the visitors not be able to make a breakthrough. After being penalised, the hosts were on the front foot.

Callum Sheedy, perhaps playing with a point to prove after being left out of Steve Tandy’s Six Nations squad, kicked through and Iwan Stephens gathered. Shortly following this, Josh McNally broke through the visitors’ defence. However, the second row knocked the ball on after six minutes.

Sheedy then, minutes later, slotted the opening points of the encounter from the tee. After a short kickoff from debutant Roger Francis, Stephens gathered and put the hosts on the front foot, and soon their lead doubled following Sheedy adding an extra three points.

Rhyno Smith, from inside his own half at the end of the first quarter, had an opportunity to score the visitors’ first points of the evening, but his shot fell just short of the posts.

Alex Mann was then yellow-carded after an infringement around the breakdown area, as Benetton found themselves metres out following fullback Smith making a darting run. Following a scrum penalty, Lorenzo Cannone lost the ball forward after a strong carry, and from the resulting scrum, Aled Davies eventually kicked to relieve the pressure.

As the rain started to fall, the contest became a kicking battle, with the hosts seemingly having the upper hand in the air. Benetton were then penalised after looking to get on the front foot, with Sheedy opting for the corner.

From the catch and drive, the Blue and Blacks were metres away from the whitewash, but the ball was eventually lost forward as the first half came to a close.

After some brilliant defending in the opening exchanges of the second half by the hosts, Mann’s ill-discipline around the breakdown proved costly once again as referee Sam Grove-White penalised the Welsh international.

Fullback Smith quickly added the extras from the tee as the deficit was reduced to three points. Benetton were then penalised after Ioan Lloyd was taken out in the air, with Sheedy kicking to the corner.

After the lineout, a few phases followed, and McNally forced his way over for the first try of the contest from close range. Sheedy was unable to add the extras, but the Blue and Blacks found themselves in front by eight points before the 50-minute mark.

Replacement Lloyd then extended his side’s lead even further from just outside the visitors’ 22, as he took over kicking duties after coming on for injured Jacob Beetham. This followed Lloyd and Josh Adams taking Smith over his own try-line moments earlier.

However, following simple errors from the hosts and ill-discipline around the breakdown, Benetton found themselves miraculously back in the game. The Blue and Blacks, for the first time in the encounter, were under pressure from the visitors.

After going to the corner, they regained possession and continued to apply pressure on the hosts’ defence. And the pressure told as second-row Ruzza powered over.

Smith was unable to add the easy extras, but aside from that, Benetton found themselves back in touching distance, moving into the final ten minutes.

Minutes later, Ignacio Mendy looked to have scored the visitors’ second, but following a TMO check, the try was chalked off after a forward pass by Filippo Drago in the build-up to the score to Ale Garbisi.

Benetton continued to pressure in the closing moments inside the hosts’ 22, but replacement Dan Thomas expertly turned the ball over at the breakdown. With the clock in the red, Ioan Lloyd just outside Benetton’s 22, calmly slotted three points from distance to secure the Blue and Blacks a 17-8 victory and deny the Italian side a losing bonus point.

Cardiff Rugby: 17

Tries: Josh McNally (47’)

Conversions: N/A

Penalties: Callum Sheedy (12’, 15’), Ioan Lloyd (59’, 80')

Yellow Cards: Alex Mann (25’)

Cardiff Starting XV: Beetham, Adams, Millard, B Thomas, Stephens; Sheedy, Davies, Barratt, Belcher (C), Assiratti, McNally, Nott, Mann, Botham, Lawrence.

Replacements: E Lloyd, Domachowski, Sebastian, Thornton, D Thomas, Mulder, I Lloyd, Grady.

Benetton Rugby: 8

Tries: Federico Ruzza (67’)

Conversions: N/A

Penalties: Rhyno Smith (45’)

Benetton Starting XV: Smith, Mendy, Menoncello, Marin, Odogwu; Farias, Uren (C), Aminu, Maile, Pasquali, Marini, Ruzza, Favretto, Zuliani, Cannone.

Replacements: Bernasconi, Spagnolo, Gallorini, Scrafton, Fa’aso’o, Kingi, Garbisi,

Referee: Sam Grove-White

Attendance: 8,052

It was yet another impressive outing for the second row, who claimed the player of the match award. Despite losing possession early in the encounter from close range, his work rate around the field was unmatched, steering the Cardiff ship in both attack and defence.

Constantly looking to get over the gain line, and was rewarded for his output as he crossed late into the second half.

After coming on as a halftime replacement for Jacob Beetham, who looked in discomfort as he headed down the tunnel, Lloyd was outstanding throughout the second half.

In attack, he was a great asset, as he looked to use his pace to break through at times the stubborn Benetton defence.

He took over kicking duties from Callum Sheedy as well, and impressively held his nerve to leave Benetton pointless at the end of the hard-fought contest. Arguably looked more in control with the ball when he came on, and should be in line to start against Ulster next week.

Arguably won the game for Cardiff. Expertly turned over the ball as Benetton went in the hunt of a second try, and more importantly, from that penalty, the visitors were unable to capitalise on anymore chances.

If there was a phrase to describe Thomas from Saturday night’s contest, that would be game-changer. He’s another one who will be causing head coach van Zyl headaches when it comes to selection for the trip to Belfast next Saturday.