| Lomu scores as Blues sweep Dragons aside |
 Cardiff Blues |
41 - 23 |
 Newport Gwent Dragons |
| Arms Park Att: 12,488 |
| Referee: Phil Fear |
| Tuesday 27th December 2005, 16:10 |
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| New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu scored his first try for the Cardiff Blues on Tuesday evening as the Cardiff Blues recorded a decisive 41-23 victory over Welsh rivals the Dragons. |
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| Jonah Lomu with the line at his mercy |
| © Steve Pope Photography |
The giant winger rumbled in for his five-pointer in the opening minute of the second half in front of a Celtic League record crowd of 12,436 at Cardiff Arms Park.
Cardiff went on to finish with six tries and a vital bonus point and fly-half Nick Robinson claimed 16 points in his 100th match for club and region as the Blues completed a Christmas double, having beaten their other regional rivals the Ospreys last week.
The Dragons made the best possible start silencing the home crowd with a Nathan Brew try after only 18 seconds of play, another Celtic League record.
But after that it was one-way traffic as the Blues took control. Robinson kicked two penalty goals and converted his own try after a brilliant opportunist effort.
Craig Morgan took full advantage of a huge overlap to claim the Blues second try and on the brink of half-time Ryan Powell added another.
The Dragons were living off scraps of possession and relied on two Ceri Sweeney penalty goals for their points.
Lomu's try sparked an action-packed second half. Hooker Rhys Thomas's try for the Blues was cancelled out by one from his namesake for the visitors.
Jon Bryant added another for the Dragons before Rhys Williams completed the scoring with the Blues sixth try 20 minutes from the end.
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| First half timeline |
| 1 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Try - N Brew |
| 6 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Robinson |
| 17 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Penalty kick - C Sweeney |
| 19 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - B Evans on for G Jenkins |
| 19 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Robinson |
| 23 | Cardiff Blues | Try - N Robinson |
| 23 | Cardiff Blues | Conversion - N Robinson |
| 24 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - C Warlow on for K Morgan |
| 24 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - G Jenkins on for B Evans |
| 28 | Cardiff Blues | Try - C Morgan |
| 32 | Cardiff Blues | Yellow card - T Davies |
| 32 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Penalty kick - C Sweeney |
| 37 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Yellow card - D Maddocks |
| 38 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Robinson |
| 40 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - R Fussell on for N Brew |
| 40 | Cardiff Blues | Try - R Powell |
| Second half timeline |
| 42 | Cardiff Blues | Try - J Lomu |
| 45 | Cardiff Blues | Try - T Thomas |
| 51 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - B Griffiths on for L Charteris |
| 51 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - A Black on for D Maddocks |
| 51 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - R Thomas on for G Robinson |
| 54 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Try - R Thomas |
| 56 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - M Phillips on for R Powell |
| 56 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Try - J Bryant |
| 56 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Conversion - C Sweeney |
| 58 | Cardiff Blues | Try - R Williams |
| 68 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - M Williams on for A Powell |
| 72 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - D Goodfield on for T Thomas |
| 72 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - R Warren on for N Robinson |
| 74 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Substitution - R Oakley on for A Hall |
| 77 | Newport Gwent Dragons | Yellow card - C Sweeney |
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