Cardiff Blues boss Dai Young insists his side still have plenty of room for improvement despite beating reigning Magners League Champions the Ospreys on New Year’s Eve.
Young’s men ran out 27-25 winners in a fiercely competitive contest at the Cardiff City Stadium to jump back up into the Play-Off places.
But although the Blues are now well positioned to make a concerted push for a first-ever Celtic crown, Young has warned the 11 other Magners League sides that they haven’t seen the best of the Blues just yet.
“We’re quite nicely placed in the league but, again, it was not the full performance right through,” said Young.
“The last 20 minutes we were hanging on by our toenails. We’re still not playing anywhere like we can and there’s a lot more to come from us. But at least we are showing some positive signs.”
The Blues looked set to cruise to victory having opened up a 17-3 half-time lead but the Ospreys hit back with three tries in the second 40 minutes to make it a nervy finish in the Welsh capital.
Young freely admitted he could have done without that extra tension but the former Wales and Lions prop was nonetheless delighted to end 2010 with a vital win, especially as it came against their bitter local rivals.
“I thought we were clearly the better side for the first 50 minutes and if we had put one or two more kicks over we could have had 30 points on the board,” added Young.
“It’s a cliché but it was a game of two halves. At one point we were 24-3 up and still producing opportunities. But the penalty count in the second half went against us and we lost control of possession and position.
“They came at us strongly for the last 30 minutes and that has to be the lesson for us. We have to try to put in a dominant, 80-minute performance.
“But it was a win and that’s the most important thing. To beat our local rivals and the reigning Magners League Champions makes it that little bit sweeter.”
