History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

PAUL TITO VOWS TO KICK-START CARDIFF BLUES' SEASON

Just over six months ago, on a warm April afternoon at Twickenham, skipper Paul Tito proudly held aloft Cardiff Blues’ first ever trophy after the second-row and his team-mates had torn Guinness Premiership giants Gloucester to shreds in the EDF Energy Cup Final by playing fluid, jaw-dropping rugby.

Their 50-12 crowning victory in the Anglo-Welsh competition was certainly one in the eye for England – and a fortnight later Tito’s team almost toppled the European hegemony, too, but they were cruelly defeated in the Heineken Cup semi-final by Leicester Tigers.

The big 31-year-old, who was forced to withdraw after only ten minutes at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, could barely watch as the Blues forced the two-time winners to a sudden-death penalty shoot out when the scores were tied at 26 after extra time. When Wales flanker Martyn Williams hooked his effort wide Leicester No8 Jordan Crane successfully dropped his kick to drag the Tigers through to the final at Murrayfield.

Regardless, Tito, in his first season as captain, hailed the Blues’ achievements – the first silverware for the Welsh region, formed in 2003, and a best-ever finish in Europe’s premium cup competition. It was, in short, what the flame-haired Kiwi labels “a dream year”.

However, rather than building on last season’s success the Blues have endured a nightmare start to this campaign, which kicked off in early September. Despite being one of the most eye-catching sides in European rugby last term and boasting a new, state-of-the-art £48m (105m NZD) home venue, Dai Young’s troops lost four out of their first five games; their solitary success was a 19-15 win over the poor Llanelli Scarlets at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Tito was carried off with a head injury in Cardiff’s Heineken Cup Pool 5 opener in early October – a 20-6 win over troubled London Harlequins – and consequently missed out on the 27-26 defeat to Sale Sharks the following week. Though he is clueless as to why his Blues have failed to click so far this season, but determined to lead from the front and right their faltering campaign.

“It is tricky to work out what is going wrong – none of us can put our finger on it at the moment,” admits Tito, who joined the Blues from Taranaki in the summer of 2007. “It was a hell of a season, a dream year, last season, but it means nothing for this year. We picked up a good win against Quins but we stumbled against Sale and we will have to push on again now.

“We have lost a few personnel and we have been unlucky with injuries, but we can’t use that as an excuse to explain why we are battling. The fact is we have lost games that we should have won. We need to kick-start our season sooner rather than later. We must keep working hard and not look to blame anyone; just look at yourself and make sure you are putting your hand up week in, week out, trying to improve the Blues.”

Tito, who has previously skippered Taranaki, The Hurricanes, New Zealand Under-21s and led the New Zealand Maoris to victory in the 2006 Churchill Cup, says that it was “an honour” to take up the captaincy from No8 Xavier Rush last term but adds: “I have been disappointed to miss a few games as captain this season, as it is a much tougher job to gee up the troops when you are losing. It is certainly easier to captain a winning side, but it is when things are not going your team’s way that you should be working hardest.”

The former New Plymouth Boys’ High School attendee is grateful for the presence of former All Black Rush, however. “Xavier has been around Cardiff for a long time now and I’ve never met a man who can sit so many people back down – he runs over them! I’m glad he is on my team rather than against me!”

Ex-international Kiwi full-back Ben Blair also shone for the Blues last season and, with centre Casey Lualua due to make his bow before long alongside British Lion Jamie Roberts, Tito believes that the quality of the All Black trio will stop the Blues’ rot. “I played against these guys for so long in New Zealand and it is a pleasure to be finally playing with them,” he continues.

“I keep a massive eye on the results back home still. Taranaki will always be very close to my heart and I stay in touch with quite a few of those boys – it is always interesting to see how they are doing and what they are up to.”

When asked how he sees the All Blacks’ opening game of their European tour, against Wales in Cardiff on November 8, going Tito suggests that the home side could pull off a shock. “It is as good a time as any for the Welsh to beat the All Blacks – that’s certainly what the South Wales press would have you think,” he grins.

“A year or so again I would have not been able to say that but this year they have a real shot at beating the All Blacks, who are not on top of their game at the moment and are most probably looking ahead to the World Cup in 2011.

“Of course I will definitely supporting the All Blacks over Wales – I’ve still got a lot of my mates in the team. But I think it is going to be the closest game for a long while, certainly since I have been over here. It is a bit of a touchy subject with a few of my Welsh team-mates – I just hope the All Blacks win so that they can’t give me any stick.

“Between World Cups we are normally world beaters and this year that has not been the case. I actually think that it is quite good that they are not flying this time – we want to be peaking at the World Cup on home soil. I hope it is good management rather than good luck that will get us there. I’m sure they will be working hard in camp at the moment after a fairly tough year and they will want to finish off well on tour in the Northern Hemisphere.”

Though Tito rarely ventures back to New Zealand – “the weather’s usually lousy back home when I get time off, so I usually explore Europe instead” – he has vowed to return as a player. “Home is always home – I will definitely be going back one day – but in the meantime I am really enjoying my time with the Blues in Cardiff,” he adds. “It is a great place to live and when the Blues win it makes life pretty good, too. And for now I am concentrating on making that happen again.”

Labels: Cardiff Blues, Heineken Cup, Paul Tito, rugby union

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:15 am | Permalink | Comments

HALFPENNY RELISHING BLUES CHALLENGE

It has been a whirlwind eight months for Leigh Halfpenny, beyond the realms of the most of the farthest-fetched Hollywood plots. The fresh-faced three-quarters, who only turned 20 three days before Christmas, was plucked from the obscurity of the Cardiff Blues' academy before making his first XV debut in May and, seven games later, found himself thrust opposite Bryan Habana and his World Cup-winning South African team-mates at the Millennium Stadium.

“It was amazing, the stuff that dreams are made of,” says Halfpenny, who still lives with his parents in the small town of Gorseinon, six miles north of Swansea. “Last year, 2008, was unbelievable, a dream come true. I didn’t expect anything like that to happen. But now, having played against the Springboks and the All Blacks – the best in the world – and not embarrassed myself, it has given me the confidence to believe I can play against anyone.”

Halfpenny, whose amusing moniker is ‘Pence’, joined the Blues in the summer of 2007 after being released by his childhood club Ospreys. While the disappointment was a kick in the teeth, it made him all the more determined not to let another chance go begging.

“I wanted to prove the Ospreys wrong,” he says. “I wanted to show them what they were missing. My dream was to become a professional and, when the Ospreys let me go, it just felt like my whole world had crashed down. At that point I started looking beyond rugby with my studies – I finished my A-levels and considered going into dentistry or pharmacy.

“But then the Blues offered me a place in their academy I wanted to give it another go – I knew that I could always go back to my studies later. (Indeed Halfpenny added the biology A grade required to secure a place in medical school last term to his three other A’s achieved the previous year.) Looking back on it, it was definitely the right decision and I’m very pleased that I can look at the Ospreys and think: ‘You didn’t give me a chance’.”

Blues coach Dai Young handed Halfpenny the chance to shine in the final game of last season, a Magners League dead-rubber against Ulster. He caught the eye with his searing pace and also knocked over three conversations in the 26-17 win at Ravenhill.

But it was last summer, following a star turn for Wales Under-20 in their successful World Cup campaign on home soil, when things really began to click. In the inaugural competition Halfpenny’s team reached the semi-final before being defeated 31-6 by eventual champions New Zealand. But, more significantly, it was in that tournament that Halfpenny was played on the wing as opposed to fullback, where he had featured up until then in matches. It proved a masterstroke.

Back when he was in the Ospreys academy, the coaches had been impressed with Halfpenny’s speed and in training he would sometimes play on the wing, much to his annoyance. “I wasn’t that keen on it to begin with,” he smiles, “because at the time fullback was the only position I had played and that was where I had wanted to play for the rest of my career. But I appreciate now that they just wanted to make me a bit more of a rounded player.”

With All Black Ben Blair playing out of his skin at fullback for the Blues, it is just as well that Halfpenny is happy on the wing – though his long-term aim is to make the Wales No15 shirt, currently occupied by Ospreys’ Lee Byrne, his own. He continues: “I had been making a career for myself as fullback, but at international level I think wing would probably be better for me at the moment. I’d like to think I can make a few appearances in that No15 jersey for my country.”

After being promoted from the Blues’ academy in pre-season Young was forced to used Halfpenny at the start of the season due to injured personnel – and he has played so well that has been impossible to drop him. Wales coach Warren Gatland was so impressed by Halfpenny’s performances, in which he had been likened to his hero Shane Williams, he had no hesitation in calling him up to the national squad for the autumn internationals.

When his secretary fired Halfpenny a text informing him of his international call-up, the youngster was convinced it was a prank. “I just couldn’t believe it,” he grins. “I was reading it, thinking it was a wind-up by one of my mates!”

Four coach-loads of proud family and friends, including his paternal grandfather Malcolm – the former hooker who, ironically, taught his grandson how to kick on endless afternoons – tripped from Gorseinon to Cardiff to witness Halfpenny’s international bow, a 20-15 loss to South Africa in November. And the winger was welcomed in by his Welsh team-mates with open arms – after the game they greatly applauded the tipsy tyro’s rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s Walking in Memphis.

Next followed a 34-13 win over Canada – a game in which he truly announced his talent to the rugby world by scoring two tries. Whereas before he could walk down his local street and no-one would bat an eyelid, now, “I can’t even go over to Ireland and not be recognised!”

Not that celebrity status fazes Halfpenny, who firmly has his feet on the ground, and says: “It has been mad, and I enjoy it. But I want to be known for the things I do on the field. I’ll be working hard for the Blues, looking to cement my place, helping them in all competitions. And then, if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be selected for the Six Nations.”

The immediate focus is on Cardiff’s trip to Gloucester this weekend, knowing that a victory will seal their place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. “It’s going to be a massive challenge – they have a team packed with internationals,” Halfpenny adds. “Kingholm is never an easy place to get a result and their fans are going to have very high hopes of getting a win. We had to play at our best to get a result against them at home (37-24), so I hope we can do the same. It would be a great achievement for the Blues if we get through to the last eight of the Heineken Cup.”

Labels: Cardiff Blues, Leigh Halfpenny, Six Nations, Wales, Warren Gatland

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:42 pm | Permalink | Comments

BLUES TITO READY FOR BIARRITZ CHALLENGE

Paul Tito, the colossal ginger-haired Kiwi captain of the Cardiff Blues, is pleased with the progress his team have made so far this season – they have booked their place in March’s semi-finals of the EDF Energy Cup and are top Pool 6 in the Heineken Cup. But the lock knows that December’s double-header against French giants Biarritz will be a good litmus test to see whether they can go all the way in Europe’s most coveted prize.

In Pool 6 the Blues chalked up bonus point wins against Calvisano in northern Italy and at home against Gloucester in October. The victories lifted Cardiff to 10 points – five ahead of Biarritz, who they host on December 5 at Cardiff Arms Park – and stand a good chance of going further than they did last season when Dai Young's team reached the quarter-finals after impressive group stage victories over all three of their opponents.

It was another French team, Stade Toulousain, who former prop Young's team eventually fell to – in April they lost 41-17 in the south of France to the eventual runners-up and the 2008 Super 14 winners, who also pipped the Blues to the Heineken Cup in the 1995/06 final.

“We have moved on from last year,” says 30-year-old Tito, who moved to the Blues from his native Taranaki in June 2007. “We made steps in the right direction last year and there were many signs of improvement. We finished in the top eight of the Heineken Cup, gained good away wins in the EDF Energy Cup, though we didn’t make it through, and in the Magners League we came second.

“Now we have picked up from where we left off and we are trying to move the bus forward. We have done really well to get through to the semis of the EDF, as we played the top three sides in England. It was a daunting pool and we were lucky that Sale Sharks did not put out a full-strength team. Leicester Tigers and Bath both put good teams out though and we came away with wins. I think those victories gave the team the confidence to say, ‘we can go away to these tough places and get a result’.”

Tito had never been to Italy before the Blues’ Heineken Cup opener in October, but he stepped into the unknown and inspired his team to a 56-20 win and followed it up with a 37-24 win at home to Gloucester. “Calvisano, and going over to Italy, was an unknown for me – I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. “Some of the guys had been before but we started a bit slow and we got a couple of yellow cards which kept us at bay in the first half. But once we started going after the ball we got going, and managed to score a lot of tries. It was pleasing to come away with the five points.

“The Gloucester game was massive for us, one that we had been looking forward to for a long time. Playing at the Millennium Stadium for the first time in front a record 27,000 was awesome. It was a great spectacle, and they played their part by chucking the ball about. Both teams scored some fantastic tries. Stopping Gloucester getting any points was a huge achievement.

“If you had said at the start of the season that Cardiff Blues would have 10 points after two Heineken Cup games, I think half the world would have said ‘rubbish’. So we are happy where we are but we know we have to keep working at our game.”

The former New Zealand Under-21s skipper believes that back-rower Andy Powell and 19-year-old winger Leigh Halfpenny’s call-ups to the Wales team prove how good the team are developing. Tito continues: “It’s great that those guys have been promoted to the Wales team, but when you are playing well as a club team you can do that. It’s awesome that Leigh and Andy have been selected – it just shows that the Blues are heading in the right direction.

“I tell the guys that we don’t need individuals here, we need a good all round team performance. I think that is what we are getting now. And with a good quality squad everyone knows that if they are not performing, or playing well there will be someone ready to take their place now. It doesn’t matter who you are or how long you have been at the club.”

On December’s opponents, who they face away on December 13, he adds: “I do not know an awful lot about Biarritz to tell you the truth, but no doubt I will talk to the other boys who know more about them. But we know that when playing the French, at home, you have to be on top of your game. If you think you can tough them up you have got to have your best game of the season.

“Playing the first game in Cardiff is an advantage for us as it gives us a chance to get right into it. And we have got straight to it this year and we need to keep our performances right up there.

“We know that they will be coming over to Wales to try and knock us over. But we will have to be on our mettle to beat them. I am excited about the Biarritz challenge. Last year when we played Stade Francais over in France we came very close to beating them (they lost 12-6), and no one has managed that. We have proved that we are a team that can travel.”

Labels: Biarritz, Cardiff Blues, Heineken Cup, Paul Tito

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 10:15 pm | Permalink | Comments