Cardiff Blues ensured their return to European rugby’s top table by downing Southern Kings amid a blaze of tries in Port Elizabeth.
The Ospreys’ defeat by Ulster in Belfast on Friday evening had given the capital city region the chance to seal a Champions Cup place and they didn’t let the opportunity pass them by.
Their seven-try victory means they will compete in the top-tier European competition for the first time in five seasons.
It has been a strong effort from the Arms Park region, who started the Guinness PRO14 season with three straight defeats ahead of news that head coach Danny Wilson was leaving at the end of the season.
They could easily have lost their way, but Wilson has overseen a revival and his side will face Pau in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals next weekend believing they can achieve success on two fronts.
Kirby Myhill scored two tries at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and there were touchdowns from Alex Cuthbert, Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull, Willis Halaholo and Blaine Scully, with Jarrod Evans adding five conversions.
Evans had a strong game at fly-half.
The youngster hasn’t featured in a senior Wales squad in his career to date but that could change this summer because he has in excellent form, inspiring the Blues with his creativity and helping to bring the best out of those around him.
He deserved his man-of-the-match award.
Nick Williams had a powerful first half before being replaced, while Turnbull and Halaholo were among others to stand out.
It was 33-0 at the break with the Kings having taken such a beating even the Port Elizabeth branch of the Masochists Anonymous might have objected.
The Welsh region were on top in pretty much every phase.
They bullied Kings in contact, where the hosts seemed terrified of Williams, who made an early statement of intent with a rampaging run into the heart of the home defence.
The visitors also had a decent driving maul and were in command in the scrums, while behind, the fast feet of Evans, Halaholo and Rey Lee-Lo frequently bewildered would-be Kings tacklers.
Cuthbert opened the scoring in the second minute after ploughing over from short range following a charge from Williams, then Davies found his way across after a dart from Lee-Lo.
Williams helped set up the third try with a wipe-out tackle, allowing Olly Robinson to pilfer possession for Turnbull to score.
The bonus-point try came on 32 minutes after a short pass from Tomos Williams presented Halaholo with a chance. He still had a fair bit to do but showed his power to make it past three defenders, at least two of whom will be seriously embarrassed in Monday’s video review session.
Kings simply couldn’t cope with Williams.
In driving mauls the big man bashed home defenders backwards and on the drive he sometimes needed two or three players to stop him.
He was at the front of another maul that ended with Myhill crossing as Kings, down to 14 men after the sin-binning of hooker Stephen Coetzee, looked in danger of imploding.
The Blues had too many attacking weapons and the visitors were porous in defence. Einstein wasn’t needed to work out that particular equation added up to trouble for the hosts.
The outstanding Evans carved out a try for Scully with a lovely dink through, hoisting the score to 40-0.
Credit the Kings: their fly-half Ntabeni Dukisa crossed after a purposeful surge for the line, but he and his team-mates were soon lining up beneath the posts again after Myhill’s second try.
The Blues’ attitude was summed up by their refusal to allow Kings’ cheap tries despite the game being won by a street.
Olly Robinson saved a try by dislodging the ball in a tackle, then Evans and Davies held up a home thrust with impressive resolve.
Replacement lock Lindokuhle Welemu did plough over from a metre out, but it was Blues’ night.
A job done in style.
SCORERS:
Southern Kings: Tries: N. Dukisa, L. Welemu. Con: M. Banda.
Cardiff Blues: Tries: K. Myhill (2), A. Cuthbert, S. Davies, J. Turnbull, W. Halaholo, B. Scully. Cons: J. Evans (5).
