Dai Young insists Cardiff Blues new boy Sam Norton-Knight will come good after his Magners League debut horror show.

The Australian fly-half endured a miserable bow against Edinburgh as the Blues were defeated 22-21 in their new Cardiff City Stadium home.

Norton-Knight's error-ridden display was widely criticised but Blues coach Young believes he will improve in time.

"He didn't play as well as would have liked, he's a better player than that," said Young. "He will improve."

The 25-year-old left the New South Wales Waratahs in Australia for Wales as he wanted to play at fly-half rather than at full-back.

Director of rugby Young admitted playing the untested twice-capped Australian international at the pivotal number ten position was a "gamble" before the game.

Norton-Knight was chosen ahead of Wales international Ceri Sweeney as the successor to the experienced Nicky Robinson following his move to Gloucester.

It will probably take Sam a couple of games to get into the swing of things and we're confident that he can do that. Cardiff Blues director of rugby Dai Young

But Norton-Knight was singled-out for his disappointing debut as his kicking game and positional play left the Blues exposed as the reigning EDF Energy Trophy winners and Heineken Cup semi-finalists failed to live up to their impressive performances of last season.

And Young revealed: "Of course he didn't have a good game and he was probably one of the most nervous debutants I've seen.

"He was really nervous before the game and was really anxious to have a good game but there are very few players who haven't had a poor game.

"But when he gets his confidence I'm sure he will go from strength to strength.

"A lot of his previous experience has been at full-back but if you look at some of the mistakes he made they were in general play and would have happened wherever he played.

"He wants to play at number ten and we bought him as a number ten, that's why he wanted to leave the Waratahs to play in his favoured position.

"It will probably take Sam a couple of games to get into the swing of things and we're confident that he can do that."

Norton-Knight's forgettable Blues bow was not the only aspect of the Welsh side's disappointing season-opener.

The Blues lived up to their reputation as perennial slow-starters as they stuttered to an inspiring defeat to Edinburgh ahead of trips to Heineken Cup finalists Munster and a tricky trip to Connacht.

"We have talked about us being slow starters," said Young.

"That put us under pressure in previous years to pick our levels and we tried to address that by playing more competitive pre-season friendlies and some of the training aspects - but we're still not where we want to be."

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