Danny Wilson insisted his Cardiff Blues can be pleased with their Friday night efforts after they took maximum points from Lyon, who did little to alter perceptions that French clubs lack love for the European Challenge Cup.
The Top 14 league leaders made 14 changes to their line-up for their opening tie at the Arms Park and the Blues – who made 10 changes themselves – took full advantage with a bonus point 29-19 victory.
French clubs have always held ambivalent feelings towards both European tournaments, often thinking their domestic league positions need to be protected first and Europe is an after-thought, unless their fixture list is forgiving or the glint of silverware comes into view.
Lyon were true to that Eurosceptic position, but Wilson rightly suggested there was little he or his players could do about opposition team selection.
“We picked up a bonus point win at home to start the campaign so it’s been a pleasing night to back up the bonus point win last week against Dragons,” said the Blues coach.
“You can only play what’s in front of you and I thought we played well enough tonight.
“We scored four tries, could’ve scored more and it’s a positive night and one we’ll enjoy. Now there’s a patch-up job to be done before we go out to play Toulouse.”
The former European kings highlighted their own decline by drawing away to an under-strength Sale, having slipped into the secondary tournament on the back of a poor domestic season.
Wilson intends to bring back some of the players he rested against Lyon in a bid to make it three wins in a row next weekend.
“What a great place to play, first of all, on the back of a bonus point win at home, a huge challenge as we all know as I think we’re more accustomed to seeing them in the Champions Cup.
“We’ll go there motivated to play a style of rugby a score tries – we’ve scored ten tries in the past two games so we’ll go there with the same intent, while being aware of the challenge.
“We didn’t play some boys tonight who might come back into contention next week, boys who deserved and needed a bit of a blow, and that week off might do them the world of good, so we’ll be confident going out to Toulouse.”
After waiting 22 minutes to break the deadlock, the Blues fashioned converted tries from George Earle and Tomos Williams to earn a 14-0 half-time lead.
Macauley Cook’s try stretched Cardiff’s lead further before Lyon took advantage of Kristian Dacey’s 58th-minute yellow card to open their account through Virgile Bruni’s score.
However, Cardiff nipped any Lyon fightback in the bud when Rey Lee-Lo crossed for their fourth try, putting the hosts 26-7 ahead and earning them a bonus point.
Lyon grabbed two tries towards the end through Pierre-Louis Barassi and Jone Tuva – the second when down to 13 men – but it was too little too late.
Wilson added: “I thought we were really dominant in the first half and probably thinking how we came in at half time not being further ahead.
“I thought we played some good rugby in the first half and then second half it fell away a little bit and the tempo of the game went out of it, which doesn’t suit us as we want to play the game at a higher speed.
“After that long injury, we almost started again and conceded a try which was disappointing, but to get a bonus point win against a side that, regardless of what they brought, are top of the league in France as we know.”
