Cardiff books final 16 spot with dominant show against Falcons
MATCH REPORT: Cardiff Rugby booked their spot in the Challenge Cup Round of 16 thanks to a dominant 42-10 home win over Newcastle Falcons at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday.
Two tries from Owen Lane along with further scores from Lloyd Williams, Rhys Carre, Josh Adams and Harri Millard gave the Welsh region a hefty win.
Newcastle notched a consolation score through Alun Walker, but the dismal day for the visitors also saw Elliott Obatoyinbo sent off for a high tackle.
It was inside the first minute that Lane scored Cardiff’s first before Seb Davies went over moments later, a double score which set an early tone for the rampant performance that was to come.
Rhys Priestland kicked both of those conversions, as he did for every Cardiff try to rack up a personal tally 12 points.
Carre’s effort took Cardiff even further out of sight, with a Tian Schoeman penalty Newcastle’s only response before the break.
And to make matters worse for the Gallagher Premiership out, Elliott Obatoyinbo’s high tackle on the stroke of half-time saw them go down to 14 men for the remainder of the game.
Lane scored his second shortly after the infringement and sent Newcastle into the dressing room reeling.
Full-back Adams scored Cardiff’s first points of the second period when he crossed in the 53rd minute, but Newcastle soon got their only try of the game on the hour mark when Walker dotted down.
But Cardiff were not finished, and in the 73rd minute Millard crossed for yet another converted try which further cemented Cardiff’s progression to the next stage of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Cardiff will close out their Pool A fixtures with a game against CA Brive in France on January 21, while Newcastle will host Irish province Connacht Rugby on the same day.
The scorers
For Cardiff
Tries: Lane, Williams, Carre, Adams, Millard
Cons: Priestland (6)
For the Newcastle Falcons
Try: Walker
Conv: Schoeman
Pen: Schoeman
Yellow card: Kirby Myhill (Cardiff, 35’)
Red card: Elliott Obatoyinbo (Newcastle Falcons, 39’)
Cardiff: 15 Josh Adams , 14 Owen Lane, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Jason Harries, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 Josh Turnbull (captain), 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Kieron Assiratti, 2 Kirby Myhill, 1 Corey Domachowski,
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 James Ratti, 20 James Botham, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Harri Millard,
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Peter Lucock, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Carl Fearns, 7 Tom Marshall, 6 Gary Graham (captain), 5 Josh Peters, 4 Greg Peterson, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Charlie Maddison,1 Adam Brocklebank.
Replacements: 16 Alun Walker, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Matty Dalton, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Micky Young, 22 Josh Thomas, 23 Iwan Stephens.
Referee: Vivien Praderie (France)
Assistant referees: Hervé Lasausa (France) & Thierry Mallet (France)
TMO: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)
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