Cardiff break Wasps hearts in Anglo Welsh LV Cup

Cardiff Blues broke Wasps hearts when they snatched a 42-45 last gasp victory in the Anglo Welsh LV Cup at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.

Cardiff Blues scored a try from a 30m line out with the last move of the match in the 80th minute to win the match in front of the 9640 fans in attendance.

The result means that Cardiff Blues have one foot in the Anglo Welsh Semi-finals while the try bonus point and losing bonus point mean that Wasps remain alive but only just.

Cardiff lead Pool 2 and have a four point lead on Northampton Saints.

Second row Miles Normandale’s match-winning try capped off a crazy game between Wasps and Cardiff Blues in Coventry, with the Welsh region clinching a dramatic win.

Normandale’s score came in the 83rd minute, with Rhys Patchell confirming to make it 45-42, with Wasps desperate defence unable to keep their visitors out.

Wasps had burst out of the blocks, scoring 21 unanswered posts as Will Helu and Thomas Young scored either side of a penalty try won by the home pack.

Two quick-fire tries from the Blues thrust them back into the contest but Wasps had the last word, Sailosi Tagicakibau going over before Young, son of director of rugby Dai, powered over for his second try. Wasps led 35-17 with Cardiff seemingly out of it.

Guy Thompson continued the scoring for the hosts with their sixth try after the break, but from then it was all Cardiff Blues with half an hour to go.

Normandale, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino and Seb Davies all scored within nine minutes with Patchell’s conversions meaning only four points separated the two sides, setting up an excruciating finish for the home fans as Normandale struck for the victory.

Wasps second rower James Cannon was named man of the match.

Final Score Wasps 42 (35) Cardiff Blues 45 (17)

Scorers

Wasps
Tries : Helu, Penalty, Young (2), Tagicakibau, Thompson
Pen :
Con : Lozowski (6)
Drop :

Cardiff Blues
Tries : Cook, Jones, Normandale (2) , Gonzalez-Amorosino, Davies
Pen : Patchell
Con : Patchell (6)
Drop :

Match Officials
Referee: Thomas Foley (England)
Assistant referees: Andy Watson (England), Philip Watters (England)
Timekeeper: Anthony Turner (England)
Assessor: Martin Fox (England)/Clive Leeke (England)

Teams

Wasps: 15 Alex Lozowski, 14 Will Helu, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Glyn Hughes, 9 Charlie Davies, 8 Guy Thompson, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Ed Jackson (c), 5 James Cannon, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Phil Swainston, 2 Tom Lindsay, 1 John Yapp.

Replacements: 16 Edd Shervington, 17 Alex Lundberg, 18 Will Taylor, 19 Buster Lawrence, 20 Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas, 21 James Small-Edwards, 22 Tom Howe, 23 Piers O’Conor.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Richard Smith, 13 Garyn Smith, 12 Adam Thomas, 11 Lucas Amorosino, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Lewis Jones, 8 James Sheekey, 7 Ellis Jenkins (c), 6 Macauley Cook, 5 Seb Davies, 4 Miles Normandale, 3 Craig Mitchell, 2 Rhys Williams, 1 Thomas Davies.

Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Brad Thyer, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Ben Roach, 20 Jordan Viggers, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Simon Humberstone, 23 Geraint Walsh.