The Welsh centre, captaining the team for the third time in his career, showed excellent pace and dummied the Connacht defence to crash over in the corner within two minutes. Blair added the difficult conversion.

Connacht reacted to the score and started to put pressure on the Blues and when the visitors were penalised just outside their twenty two, Paul Warwick stepped up to convert.

A lovely break by Marc Stcherbina took the Blues up to the Connacht twenty two to relieve the pressure but it was the Irish side that had the next scoring opportunity.

McHugh nearly held on to an intercepted pass to cross for a try and it was only a Gethin Jenkins last ditch tackle that stopped Farley crossing minutes later.

However, Ray Ofisa soon breached the defence to score near the posts with Warwick converting. The Blues did fight back with good work from Czekaj down the wing but the Connacht defence was organised.

The Blues did get a score back when Connacht conceded a penalty in the scrum and Blair slotted the kick to level the score.

However the Welsh team were dealt a blow when Scott Morgan was awarded a yellow card for obstruction and Warwick kicked the penalty to give the Irish province the lead at half time.

HALF TIME CONNACHT 13 CARDIFF BLUES 10

The Blues were awarded a penalty early in the second half and from 40 yards out Bair levelled the score.

Connacht were awarded a penalty from a line out and elected to kick to the corner and put on an excellent drive form a good position. They failed to capitalise on their position with the
Blues winning a scrum and clearing up field, but still Conanhct patiently drove up to the Blues twenty two, where they won another penalty that Warwick converted.

The Blues were by no means out for the game and a turnover by the Cardiff Blues saw neat inerpasing amongst forwards and back building momentum in to the Connacht twenty two. However the promising move broke down when a forward pass to Rob Sidoli saw Connahct awarded a scrum.

Blair equalised the score with a penalty but a nasty looking ankle injury saw Tom James leave the field and replaced by Tom Riley.

It was an extremely tight match and in the seventy third minute Connacht were awarded another penalty but this time Warwick hit the upright which meant the scores were level with seven minutes to play.

Connacht kept up the pressure and were camped on the Blues try line for minutes but brave defence kept them out and eventually Czekaj cleared up field.

The Blues had a chance to snatch the win when Connacht conceded a penalty for holding on in a ruck. From 40 yards out Blair stepped up but the full back slipped as he stepped and fluffed the kick. There was enough time for Blues to give one last chance when the Blues were once again awarded a penalty in the dying second of the match.

This time Blair hit the up right and a tense game finished in a draw which meant that the
Blues would have an even more difficult task of challenging for the title.