Sheedy gives Cardiff some reasons to be cheerful

■ By SIMON THOMAS

Cardiff …………..22pts

Tries: Winnett 10, Stephens 18, D Thomas 24, McNally 56

Conversion: Sheedy 11

Zebre…………….. 17pts

Tries: Bertaccini 64, Locatelli 80

Conversions: Da Re 65, 80

Penalty: Montemauri 8

CARDIFF coach Matt Sherratt admitted his players were frustrated despite launching their URC campaign with a bonus point victory.

They scored four tries with new fly-half Callum Sheedy setting up two of them during a man of the match display, but they then conceded twice in the final quarter as Zebre secured a deserved losing bonus point.

Sherratt said: “You could sense a bit of frustration with the performance from the team. When the opposition scores last, it always leaves a bit of a sour note. But, after some tight losses last year, it’s a five-point win at home against a decent team who can be pretty tricky. “I was a bit nervous around it because it was a banana skin.

“A third of our match-day 23 were new boys and you had Wales players coming back in after a short pre-season, so I knew the game was going to be a bit scratchy, but I would have taken five points beforehand. “Our challenge is trying to get cohesive as quickly as we can, it’s going to take a bit of time because there has been a substantial amount of change at the club both on and off the pitch.”

Cardiff ‘s opening two tries were very similar in construction, with Wales No.10 Ben Thomas – playing at 12 – taking the ball at first receiver off set-pieces and combining with co-centre Rey Lee-Lo to get his team over the gain line. Then, once the ball was recycled, it was over to former Bristol fly-half Sheedy to show his creativity with the boot as he put in a cross kick and a grubber to enable full-back Cam Winnett and eye-catching new wing Iwan Stephens to touch down. Cardiff ‘s third try came via another summer signing who impressed, with flanker Dan Thomas spinning over off a close range lineout to make it 17-3 at the break.

Then, just before the hour mark, the bonus was bagged with a ploy straight off the training ground. It was an unusual affair with wing Mason Grady going to the front of the lineout where he won the ball with the assistance of centre Thomas as a lifter.

Then, off the resulting maul, it was all about forward power with Alun Lawrence making the initial carry and lock Josh McNally following up to force his way over. But Zebre kept battling and were rewarded by late tries from centre Giulio Bertaccini and flanker Samuele Locatelli.