 Casey Laulala made his Cardiff Blues debut in the win against Connacht |
Cardiff Blues boss Dai Young has predicted new centre Casey Laulala will become a big star for the region. Ex-All Black Laulala, 27, made his debut in the 21-9 win over Connacht at Cardiff City Stadium. But he faces a battle with Wales partners Tom Shanklin and Jamie Roberts for a big-game starting spot. Young said: "We certainly haven't seen the best of him today, but with more rugby under his belt I'm sure he'll be a big star." Roberts was absent after helping the Barbarians beat New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday and Laulala partnered Shanklin in the Blues' midfield. The Blues also have veteran ex-Wales captain Gareth Thomas, Gavin Evans and Dafydd Hewitt in their midfield pool. Young added: "I don't think he had great opportunities, but he showed some really good touches and we know what a player he can be only within a week of training." However, the Blues' boss says they must improve up front and be better organised behind to make an impact when the Heineken Cup returns next weekend with back-to-back clashes against Toulouse.  | 606: DEBATE |
But he refused to single out another foreign recruit, Australian fly-half Sam Norton-Knight, after the Blues failed to gain a bonus point win following Tom James' two first-half tries. Young said: "We are certainly not going to point the finger at one or two players. Obviously that control is needed and we were a little bit scrappy in that area today. "But in saying that we need to be better up front as well and give them a better platform up front and be a little bit more organised behind. "So I'm certainly not going to point fingers and break ranks, but Sam's quite disappointed. He's a better player than that and he's been building. "In the last couple of games he's been building and getting better and better, but today was quite scrappy from the team, not just our half-backs." Young admitted his side failed to raise the tempo after leading 18-3 at the break and were lacking confidence as Connacht stuck to a game plan that prompted bouts of ping-pong tactical kicking. | We created a bit and we've tried to encourage the players to be a little bit exciting, to really use the ball /CPS:QUOTE> |
"We seem to be really stuck in second gear at the minute and we always look like we're just looking for that extra gear which wasn't there in the second half," said Young. "We created a bit and we've tried to encourage the players to be a little bit exciting, to really use the ball and I thought on occasions in the first half we did that. "Second half we lost our way a little bit and became a little bit sloppy and made the game quite tight in the end. "But I don't think we were ever going to lose that game. We were in total control of it, but you probably have to say that's a bonus point that's slipped away, really. "It takes two to play rugby and Connacht, in fairness to them, knew they weren't going to run it from their own half and they were always going to kick it. "What you can't do is buy into suicide rugby either. You can only run it if it's possible if the opportunity's there. "It wasn't so we had to kick it back and we've got to look to be more exciting with the ball. "The result is everything. You could see from the players - they are struggling with a little bit of confidence and a little bit of self belief and it was coming back at half-time and it was a pity we couldn't continue that momentum second-half. "But the all-important thing is that it was a win. We don't want to walk away from that and we want to be better than that, certainly for next week [against Toulouse]."
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