Ex-Cardiff and Wales three-quarter Mike Hall says the Blues face a dog fight to make next season's Heineken Cup.

"[Coach] Dai Young has got to earn his money, he has to get them in," said Hall after the 20-29 Leinster defeat.

That Magners League loss was on a weekend when rivals the Scarlets and Dragons both claimed big victories.

The Blues are now just two points above bottom Welsh league side the Scarlets, eight adrift of the Dragons and 12 behind Ospreys in the race for Europe.

"The Blues will be very disappointed and down after that," Hall told BBC Wales' Scrum V rugby programme.

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"The defence was very poor, it looked like some of them didn't even want to be there.

"Dai has got a very difficult job now, the Scarlets will take heart for the run-in and it's going to be a real dog fight for that last European place."

Former Wales captain and scrum-half Robert Jones was also unimpressed by the Blues.

"Leinster were far more of a team," said Jones.

"The Blues were a major disappointment and fell off simple tackles.

"It was lacklustre and there were too many errors, while 10, 12 and 13 were poor, there was no control.

"Psychologically that could have a big bearing."

To compound Young's problems he lost prop Gary Powell near the end with what was thought to be a serious Achilles injury.

"We'll go away and look at it but it looks quite nasty, said Young.

"We're short of props, we're short in all positions.

"We can't prioritise competitions because we've got 23 players to pick 22 from so we can't rest players or change many."

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