Cardiff ended their first Indigo Premiership game of the season with just a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.
The only game to be played in the league saw Carmarthen Quins travel back to West Wales with the points. It all started well for the Blue & Blacks as a series of penalties landed them in the corner. The lineout move was stopped but several pick and drives got the home side near the Quins line, and when the ball was sent to the backs Max Llewellyn and Jack Maynard combined to send Theo Cabango over, Maynard converted.
And it should have been even better when the Quins dropped the ball on the half way line. Cardiff picked up the loose ball and charged towards the try line. Only a knock on stopping the try. The Quins though were next to score. Missed tackles in midfield allowed them to end up with a lineout five metres out, Ben Leuge crashing over – Steffan Marshall converting.
Maynard put Cardiff back in front with a short-range penalty and added another one following an infringement after Cabango had raced through the Quins defence. Just before halftime the visitors scored a try after a quick tap penalty, Kalum Evans going over for the converted score.
The Quins had the better of the start of the second half. Camped inside the Cardiff half for the first few minutes they moved the ball wide and made space for Leon Randell to cross. Straight from the kick off the Blue & Blacks were back in the game. A straight forward clearance was charged down and as it bobbled into the in-goal area it wasn’t touched down by a Quins player, James Beal pouncing to score. Marshall extended the Quins lead with two penalties midway through the half.
Cardiff had created chances, Ellis Bevan and Beal going close before a sweeping move put Ioan Evans over in the corner. That left the Blue & Blacks one score behind and they had the chance to win the game with a penalty, only for it to go wide.