Cardiff's return to the top tier of European rugby ended in a 28-12 defeat at Northampton Saints' Franklin's Gardens. The result leaves the club seeking their first win of the Champions Cup weekend after a performance that battled until the final whistle.
Northampton led 14-0 at the interval, with George Hendy scoring the first try after 12 minutes. Mason Grady added another for the home side eight minutes later, and further scores from Toby Thame and Fraser Dingwall in the second half sealed the win. Cardiff, who made nine changes for the fixture, saw debuts for Tom Manz and a try from Harri Millard, but a 14-0 half-time deficit proved too much to overcome.
Mixed fortunes in Europe
The weekend's other results saw Toulouse edge Exeter 43-40 despite an early red card, while Pau beat Leicester Tigers 41-17. Gloucester's draw with Bordeaux-Bègles on Friday meant English clubs had to wait until Northampton's victory over Cardiff for a first win of the round. Cardiff's director of rugby, Matt Sherratt, rested several Wales internationals for the trip, a decision made with the club's 19th-place Championship standing in mind. Cardiff currently sit 19th in the Championship on 11 points after 11 games, with a record of two wins, five draws and four losses.
Cardiff have 11 points from 11 league games this season, with a recent run of two wins, one draw and two defeats. Moylan is the club's top scorer this term with six goals in 11 appearances. The team has scored 18 goals and conceded 17 in the league this season. The focus now shifts back to domestic matters and a key home match against Birmingham on Saturday, 24 October.
Despite the scoreline, Cardiff caused problems in the second half, spending time in the opposition redzone and earning a penalty through defensive pressure. A try from Tom Manz on his debut provided a positive moment, converted by Jarrod Evans. The team's effort was acknowledged by Northampton's coaching staff, with one noting Cardiff had not benefitted from 50-50 decisions. Antoine Dupont, commenting on Toulouse's narrow win, summed up the fine margins in European competition. "When you see how the game panned out, at half-time we would have signed up for a victory," he said.
Cardiff's next assignment is at home in the Championship. They face Birmingham looking to improve on a league position that sees them just above the relegation zone. Their recent results include a 5-1 win over Watford on Tuesday 13 October and a 2-1 loss to Blackburn on Saturday 10 October.
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