Blues assistant coach Geraint John says they are relieved to have a second chance of Heineken Cup qualification. Newport-Gwent Dragons ensured their rivals from Cardiff would go into a play-off for a European place against an Italian side by beating Connacht.
Connacht needed to finish above the Blues in the final Celtic League table but fell short at Rodney Parade.
"It gives us another chance. People will say perhaps we're lucky but those are the rules," John said.
"I did think that Connacht were going to score again and win in those last moments, but what we have to do now is prepare over the next six weeks."
Despite grabbing a second Heineken Cup chance, the Blues' ninth-place Celtic League finish meant they failed to qualify for the Celtic Cup.
That means the Cardiff side will not have any competitive matches before their European play-off, which will probably be against Calvisano.
The Blues will also be without British and Irish Lions squad members Tom Shanklin, Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams.
However, Wales coach Mike Ruddock has confirmed that the Blues will still have use of Wales players selected for the tour to North America.
"We'll have to sit down and look at that six-week programme in preparation for that European spot we want," John added.
"The Lions players we knew we'd be without, but all the other players are pleased we'll have our Wales players as everybody at the Blues wants to be in the Heineken Cup.
"People expect now that we will be in Europe but there's still a winner-takes-all-match to come, which will be very hard."
John will leave the Blues at the end of this extended season, having accepted a job to run the youth academy of Gloucester's Hartpury College.
MMIX
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