Cardiff Rugby 18-31 Lions: Blue and Blacks blown away by South Africans on dismal night at the Arms Park

Cardiff were thumped 31-18 by the Lions on a miserable night at the Arms Park.

Both teams had early chances to take the lead. First the Lions charged down Rhys Priestland’s attempted clearance from the kick off, with Jarrod Evans snuffing out the danger in the nick of time. Then Theo Cabango raced after a Priestland grubber through only to be beaten to the ball by opposite man Edwill van der Merwe.

Cardiff had the wet, blustery conditions at their back and were in the ascendency for much of the opening 40 minutes, with Liam Belcher and Lopeti Timani carrying regularly.

The Blue and Blacks got their first points of the half 10 minutes into the piece when Tomos Williams was snaffled illegally at the back of a ruck and Evans stepped up to clip over the penalty from 45 metres.

The Lions defended stubbornly but the hosts committed to sending kicks towards Cabango and van der Merwe, which the South African snaffled time and again. Midway through the half, the tactic was favoured over a four-on-two and again the diminutive Lion was up to the task.

Evans banged over another penalty, which Gianni Lombard responded to around the half hour mark before the tries came towards the end of the opening 40.

First James Botham wriggled his way over after replacement Mason Grady had put his side in a mouthwatering position with a pinpoint 50:22 and Evans’ conversion opened up a deficit.

But disaster struck for the hosts at the end of the half. Indiscipline gave the Lions a good position and they mauled towards the line before it was pulled down illegally. Referee Sam Grove-White gave the penalty try and sent Taulupe Faletau to the sin bin, though Cardiff led 13-10 at the break.

The Lions started fastest in the second half and worked a