CDB
No.Name
15Gareth Anscombe, FB
14Owen Lane, W
13Rey Lee-Lo, C
12Uilisi Halaholo, C
11Blaine Scully, W
T
10Jarrod Evans, FH
2
3
9Tomos Williams, SH
T
1Rhys Gill, P
2Kristian Dacey, H
3Taufa'ao Filise, P
4Seb Davies, L
5Josh Turnbull, L
6Josh Navidi, FL
7Ellis Jenkins, FL
8Nick Williams, N8
Replacements
16Kirby Myhill, R
17Bradley Thyer, R
18Scott Andrews, R
19Damian Welch, R
20Olly Robinson, R
21Lloyd Williams, R
22Garyn Smith, R
T
23Matthew Morgan, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: San Mamés Stadium
8:00 PM, May 11, 2018
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'31-30 End of second half
80'Anscombe boots the ball out of play and Cardiff Blues have done it! A brilliant performance from the Blues in the second half has helped them create history. No team had ever come from so far behind to win a Challenge Cup final before tonight. What a way for Danny Wilson to sign off.
80'This time Anscombe makes no mistake and the Blues have less than a minute to hold on!
79'31-30 Penalty goal - Gareth Anscombe , Cardiff Blues
78'Gloucester's kick off is deep but the Blues back themselves. Anscombe produces a wonderful kick to find Smith on the left wing and after the replacement puts a boot in the chase is good and the Blues win a penalty.
77'Anscombe's attempt just slides past the far upright and Gloucester still lead. But that lead is just two points with three minutes left.
77'TRY! This time it's good. A huge conversion attempt coming up for Anscombe.
77'Substitute on - Tom Hudson , Gloucester Rugby
77'Player substituted - Andy Symons , Gloucester Rugby
77'Substitute on - Jeremy Thrush , Gloucester Rugby
77'Player substituted - Mariano Galarza , Gloucester Rugby
76'TRY? Again it's Scully who slides into the right corner following another period of pressure from the Blues. Has it got it this time?
76'28-30 Try - Blaine Scully , Cardiff Blues
75'Slater gets his fingertips to the lineout and Gloucester steal the ball.
74'Yellow card! The Blues win the lineout and set the drive. Anscombe almost finds a hole but he is stopped and Garces blows for another penalty for offside -- the card comes out for Ludlow.
74'Yellow card - Lewis Ludlow , Gloucester Rugby
73'Brilliant by Morgan who takes Cardiff within a couple of metres of the line. As the ball is recycled the move starts to lose momentum but Gloucester are penalised for offside.
72'Garces calls Nick Williams and Polledri over for a chat following some handbags. The Blues No. 8 appears to call the Gloucester man a "little b----".
72'Substitute on - Damian Welch , Cardiff Blues
72'Player substituted - Nick Williams , Cardiff Blues
70'Nick Williams takes the Blues deep into the Gloucester 22 and as the ball is recycled Jenkins is found on the right wing but he has too many Cherry and Whites to beat.
69'Matthew Morgan is on for the Blues, with Evans off. That is a surprise, the fly-half has been brilliant so far.
69'Substitute on - Andy Symons , Gloucester Rugby
69'Player substituted - Billy Burns , Gloucester Rugby
69'Player substituted - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
69'Substitute on - Matthew Morgan , Cardiff Blues
69'Player substituted - Tomos Williams , Cardiff Blues
69'Substitute on - Lloyd Williams , Cardiff Blues
69'Substitute on - Ben Morgan , Gloucester Rugby
69'Player substituted - Ruan Ackermann , Gloucester Rugby
68'Gloucester penalised for offside as the Blues build possession in their own half but there may well have been a high tackle on Tomos Williams too.
66'Scully gets isolated on halfway and it's another penalty to Gloucester.
65'Braley hoists a box kick and Anscombe does well to get into the air when taking that one.
63'23-30 Penalty goal - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
62'A new Gloucester front row and they immediately make a difference to win their side a penalty. Twelvetrees will have a shot at goal.
61'Ludlow puts in a huge hit on Anscombe. Exactly what Gloucester needed at the moment.
61'Player substituted - Jeremy Thrush , Gloucester Rugby
61'Substitute on - Mariano Galarza , Gloucester Rugby
60'Player substituted - John Afoa , Gloucester Rugby
60'Substitute on - Fraser Balmain , Gloucester Rugby
60'Substitute on - Val Rapava-Ruskin , Gloucester Rugby
60'Player substituted - Josh Hohneck , Gloucester Rugby
60'Player substituted - James Hanson , Gloucester Rugby
60'Substitute on - Motu Matu'u , Gloucester Rugby
60'23-27 Conversion - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
60'Player substituted - Rhys Gill , Cardiff Blues
60'Substitute on - Bradley Thyer , Cardiff Blues
59'TRY! Gloucester win the lineout, set the drive and the Blues have no answer as a red-and-white wave powers over the line. James Hanson comes up with the ball.
59'23-25 Try - James Hanson , Gloucester Rugby
58'Trinder kicks ahead on the left wing and does well to drive Evans into touch near the five-metre line as the fly-half comes across.
57'A mistake from Tomos Williams and Gloucester have a scrum in Blues territory.
56'23-20 Conversion - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
55'TRY! And they're in front! Rey Lee-Lo makes a good break before Evans dabs a kick through and Smith wins the race to the ball. Question marks over whether the replacement was offside but the try stands.
55'21-20 Try - Garyn Smith , Cardiff Blues
53'A rare error from Woodward gives the Blues good field position. Cardiff are in the ascendancy at the moment.
52'Player substituted - Mariano Galarza , Gloucester Rugby
52'Substitute on - Jeremy Thrush , Gloucester Rugby
51'16-20 Penalty goal - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
50'Polledri penalised at the breakdown and Evans will have a shot at reducing the deficit further.
47'Smith tries to inject some pace into a Blues attack on the left wing but Polledri does well to drag him into touch.
45'Some more possession for the Blues on halfway, but just as it looks as though it will open up for them Garyn Smith's chip ahead sails straight out.
42'13-20 Conversion - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
41'TRY! No one has ever come back from a 14-point deficit at half-time in a Challenge Cup final but could the Blues? Tomos Williams wins the race to a brilliant Gareth Anscombe chip through and as the ball bounces back off the posts he shows great composure to gather and score.
41'11-20 Try - Tomos Williams , Cardiff Blues
41'Substitute on - Scott Andrews , Cardiff Blues
41'Player substituted - Taufa'ao Filise , Cardiff Blues
41'+16-20 End of first half
41'+16-20 Penalty goal - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
40'Twelvetrees lands the penalty to take Gloucester's lead to 14 points at the break, and it is no less than they deserve. The Blues, who lost Navidi and Lane to injury in the first half, have it all to do.
40'Gloucester end the half on the attack again through Ackermann and Hohneck before Jenkins is adjudged to have been off his feet at the breakdown. He can count himself unlucky there.
40'6-20 Start of second half
39'6-17 Conversion - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
38'TRY! Atkinson scores under the posts, but that was a brilliant team score. Twelvetrees makes an outside break inside his own half before passing to Braley on the outside who steps inside and finds Atkinson who canters over.
38'6-15 Try - Mark Atkinson , Gloucester Rugby
37'Ellis Jenkins finds a gap but the pass to him was forward.
36'The Blues have possession inside the Gloucester half for the first time in a while.
34'The Blues secure the lineout on their own 22 but the Gloucester line speed is good and they are forced to kick away possession.
33'Gloucester in possession and back inside the Blues half. The Cherry and Whites are looking increasingly comfortable.
30'Close! Ludlow thinks he is cantering over for a second Gloucester try but following some slick hands Josh Hohneck's offload is adjudged forward.

That looked very close, and it would have been some offload had it been allowed to stand.
29'A second Blues player is forced off with his shirt used as a makeshift sling. Lane this time who departs.
29'Substitute on - Garyn Smith , Cardiff Blues
29'Player substituted - Owen Lane , Cardiff Blues
27'6-10 Penalty goal - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
26'As Gloucester work through the phases around the 22 again, Seb Davies is penalised for not rolling away. Twelvetrees will fancy his chances of slotting this...
25'Anscombe is required to cut out an Atkinson grubber into the Blues 22 following another multi-phase Gloucester attack.
22'A reprieve for the Blues as Lewis Ludlow is penalised for accidental offside as the Cherry and Whites build into the 22.
21'Gloucester are building through the phases inside the Blues half before Jenkins secures a brilliant turnover. However, Rhys Gill's pass to Halaholo is ugly and the centre cannot gather.
19'Following 13 phases of attack, Atkinson puts boot to ball to give the Blues a defensive lineout.
17'The dancing feet of Burns and Billy Twelvetrees get Gloucester on the attack and in range of the 22.
16'6-7 Penalty goal - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
14'A poor box kick from Braley gives Cardiff the ball back in a dangerous area, and after a few phases of possession they are able to win a kickable penalty.
13'NO TRY! Not quite, in the end is was an excellent tackle from Callum Braley.
13'TRY? Evans injects some pace into the Blues attack and following some quick hands, Blaine Scully pins his ears back for the line on the right wing. But did he get the ball down before he went into touch? We're going upstairs...
12'It's the Blues' turn to enjoy some possession in the opposition 22.
10'3-7 Conversion - Billy Twelvetrees , Gloucester Rugby
9'TRY! Jake Polledri drives Gloucester into the Blues 22 and as the ball is spread wide, Mark Atkinson makes further inroads. Ackermann and Slater are then involved before Billy Burns hoists a crossfield kick towards the left touchline where Henry Trinder is waiting to score.
9'3-5 Try - Henry Trinder , Gloucester Rugby
7'Owen Lane forced to turn and chase a bouncing ball as Jason Woodward hares after it, but it bobbles into touch.

Before Kristian Dacey can take the lineout, Navidi departs with his arm in a makeshift sling. That doesn't look good.
7'Substitute on - Olly Robinson , Cardiff Blues
7'Player substituted - Josh Navidi , Cardiff Blues
6'Worrying signs for the Blues as Josh Navidi receives treatment for what looks like a shoulder injury.
5'3-0 Penalty goal - Jarrod Evans , Cardiff Blues
3'Nick Williams steals a turnover inside the Gloucester half, before Seb Davies puts in a brilliant kick to the corner. He's a second row!

Referee Jerome Garces blows for an earlier infringement and Evans will have a kick at goal.
1'Jarrod Evans boots the ball deep into Gloucester territory and we are underway in Bilbao. The chase from Cardiff is good, and after the Cherry and Whites have cleared, the Blues run the ball back at them but Willis Halaholo knocks on.
1'Ed Slater and Jenkins lead the teams out onto the pitch. We are moments away from kick off.
1'Organisers are expecting 30,000 fans at the San Mames tonight, with around half of the tickets sold to locals. Hopefully a few will end the evening with the rugby bug.
1'No Gethin Jenkins or Alex Cuthbert for Cardiff. Ellis Jenkins will lead the Blues at the end of the week in which he was selected as a co-captain for Wales' summer tour.
1'
1'
1'Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Challenge Cup final between Gloucester and the Cardiff Blues in Bilbao.

Tonight will be Gloucester's third Challenge Cup final in four seasons, the Cherry and Whites lifted the trophy in 2015 but lost out last year to Stade Francais. Can the Blues, winners of this competition in 2010, deby them again?
1'0-0 Start of first half