Cardiff Blues (18) 21
Tries: T James 2 Con: Blair Pens: Blair 3

Connacht (3) 9
Pens: Keatley 3

Cardiff Blues wing Tom James touches down against Connacht

Cardiff Blues overtook Welsh Magners League rivals the Scarlets as they deservedly saw off Connacht at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday.

The hosts climbed to eighth as Connacht remained at the bottom of the table.

Tom James crossed twice in six first-half minutes of an opening period that ended with the hosts leading 18-3.

The rest of the game's points came from kicking rivals, Blues full-back Ben Blair (11) and Connacht fly-half Ian Keatley (9).

Wales wing James' tries came shortly before the break, but the Blues were unable to continue where he left off in the second period.

Ex-All Black centre Casey Laulala was impressive on his debut in a deserved win.

Connacht, seeking a first double over the Welsh region, dominated the early stages, with lively fly-half Ian Keatley prominent, but he missed a simple drop goal after a sustained period of pressure..

606: DEBATE Have your say on Blues v Connacht

The Blues gradually began to show some flowing rugby, with a kick-and-catch by Richard Mustoe sparking a fine move that ended by a poor pass from Australian fly-half Sam Norton-Knight.

However, Connacht had strayed offside and full-back Blair kicked the straightforward penalty.

Keatley responded with a 40-yard effort, but another from Blair regained the lead for the Blues.

Then came the double from James. The scrum-capped wing crashed through in midfield to round off a move started by Blair, who was only in the team because of Leigh Halfpenny's Barbarians call-up. Blair converted.

James claimed his second wide out as the heavens opened and although Blair missed the conversion the game looked as good as won with the hosts taking a 18-3 half-time lead.

Connacht, however, dug deep after the break and Keatley landed a penalty when the Blues were penalised at a scrum, but missed another from a wider angle.

The Blues spurned a kickable penalty on their first visit second-half visit to Connacht territory, but over complicated in mid-field and were soon back on their own 22.

Keatley narrowed the gap further with another three-pointer, but when Blair sent a long distance kick over via a post the visitors' hopes of recovery were gone.

Blues: Ben Blair; Richard Mustoe, Casey Laulala, Tom Shanklin, Tom James; Sam Norton-Knight, Gareth Cooper; Gethin Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas, Taufa'ao Filise, Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito (capt), Sam Warburton, Martyn Williams, Xavier Rush.
Replacements: Rhys Williams; Gary Powell, Scott Morgan, Andries Pretorius, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Thomas.

Connacht: G Duffy; L Bibo, N Ta'auso, A Wynne, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, B Upton; J Muldoon (capt), J O'Connor, M McComish. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, M Swift, R Ofisa, C O'Loughlin, M Nikroa, B Tuohy.

Referee: Andy Macpherson (SRU)

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