Blues feel power of champions in Ireland

Ulster 32 – 12 Cardiff Blues

Ulster made light work of Cardiff Blues to stay top of the Magners League with a comfortable win at Ravenhill
Tries by Irish internationals Paddy Wallace, Neil Best, Bryn Cunningham and Andrew Trimble helped the league champions pick up a bonus point as they prepare for next week’s Heineken Cup clash at home to Toulouse.
A Cardiff side showing eight changes from the team that won at Saracens lost their heads as prop John Yapp, flanker Martyn Williams and Scott Morgan were all shown yellow cards and they will need their composure ahead of ahead of next week’s tough Heineken Cup opener at Bourgoin.
With Xavier Rush out with a groin strain, wing Rhys Williams took over the captaincy for all of seven minutes as he limped off and British Lions Tom Shanklin entered the fray.
Lock Deiniol Jones skippered the side.
The Blues made a superb start with Ed Fairhurst, Chris Czekaj and Nick Macleod surging to the line without success before No 8 Mark Lewis finished a move he started and barged his way over for the try as the Blues took an early 5-0 lead.
The Welshmen were punished for a lack of discipline as they gave away a penalty almost from the kick off and David Humphreys showed why he is the league’s top scorer by slotting the penalty making it 5-3 after ten minutes.
Ulster struck back when Ireland wing Andrew Trimble handed off Shanklin.
The Welshman hauled him down at the second attempt, but the defence was broken and when the ball was spun wide, inside centre Paddy Wallace touched down.
Wallace missed the conversion leaving the score at 8-5 to Ulster after 25 minutes.
The balance of the game had swung dramatically as Ulster kept on the pressure with Neil Best crashing over from a driving maul from a lineout.
A touchline skirmish just after the try flared up between the two packs and tempers boiled over again soon after.
Blues’ prop John Yapp was shown the yellow card for stamping – it was a case of mistaken identity as it was Tom Shanklin doing the footwork. Either way, the guests were losing their discipline.
Things didn’t improve after the break as Cardiff flanker Scott Morgan replaced him in the sin bin after more fighting broke out.
Replacement flanker Martyn Williams joined him in the sin bin after giving the referee a piece of his mind after a disallowed try.
Ulster’s Trimble darted over for a try from a clever inside from Humphreys who kicked the conversion and Ulster were coasting at 20-5 with 55 minutes gone.
Bryn Cunningham and Trimble again grabbed late tries to make it 32-5 as the flood gates burst before replacement scrum-half Wayne Evans claimed a consolation try.

Scorers:
Ulster: Wallace, N Best, Cunningham, Trimble (2) tries, Humphreys con (2), Humphreys pen
Cardiff: Lewis, Evans tries, Robinson conversion
Yellow Cards: John Yapp 38 mins, Scott Morgan 53 mins, Martyn Williams 63 mins