Cardiff on brink of Challenge Cup knockout stages

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Image caption,

Cardiff flanker Taine Basham joined the Arms Park side from Dragons for the 2025-26 season

ByGareth Griffiths

BBC Sport WalesAtCardiff Arms Park

European Challenge Cup

Cardiff (12) 32

Tries: Bowen, Thornton, Assiratti, Thomas Cons: Sheedy 2, Beetham Pens: Sheedy 2

Racing 92 (13) 13

Tries: Ravutaumada, Prisciantelli, Pens: Gibert

Cardiff took a huge step in guaranteeing their Challenge Cup knockout place with a hard-fought European bonus-point home victory against Racing 92.

Tries from wing Tom Bowen and centre Ben Thomas and rare scores for lock Rory Thornton and prop Keiron Assiratti were supplemented by 10 points from fly-half Callum Sheedy.

Racing 92 responded with tries from Fiji wing Selestino Ravutaumada, who was shown a yellow card after only about seven seconds, and Argentina full-back Geronimo Prisciantelli.

Cardiff's last 16 spot will be confirmed tomorrow if Ulster avoid defeat against South African side Cheetahs.

The Welsh side travel to face Exeter in the final group game on Sunday, 18 January.

All change for Cardiff and Racing 92

Cardiff had started the campaign with a defeat in Paris by Stade Francais before a last-kick win against Ulster.

Coach Corniel Van Zyl freshened up his side with eight changes to the side that lost 33-22 at Ospreys, while Racing made 12 alterations to their starting side from the past league game.

France centre Gael Fickou, Fiji powerhouse Josua Tuisova, Wallaby prop Taniela Tupou, former Wales lock Will Rowlands and England forwards Johnny Hill and Nathan Hughes were missing, but they still fielded Prisciantelli, France prop Demba Bamba and England Under-20s lock Junior Kpoku.

Cardiff captain Liam Belcher led the side out on his 100th appearance before Ravutaumada was shown a yellow card straight from the kick-off.

It was for a high, dangerous tackle on number eight Alun Lawrence, who was forced off the field for 10 minutes, after coming into start for the injured Taulupe Faletau.

Racing opened the scoring with an Antoine Gibert penalty before the hosts made the extra man tell.

Bowen scored where Ravutaumada might have been defending as the Cardiff wing latched into a pinpoint Sheedy chip kick, before finishing expertly for his seventh try in seven games this season.

Ravutaumada made an immediate impression on his return when he strolled over to give Racing the lead.

Electric Bowen lifts Cardiff crowd

Bowen, who was overlooked by Cardiff for the festive fixtures with Wales wings Josh Adams and Mason Grady preferred, demonstrated his ability to lift the Arms Park faithful by almost scoring another breakaway try.

In contrast, some soft Cardiff defending allowed Ravutaumada to power through the home defence before the ball was moved to Prisciantelli to cross.

The Argentina play-maker missed the conversion after also failing with an earlier penalty attempt, with Racing 92 failing with three kicks in the first half.

Full-back Jacob Beetham's impressive 50:22 attacking kick established the platform for Thornton to cross for his first try in two years and bring the home side within one point at half-time.

France lock Romain Taofifenua came on to add more power but his sizeable presence counted for little in a second half that Cardiff dominated.

The hosts provided the first flowing attack of the half which eventually resulted in an Assiratti try, only his second for Cardiff and first since December 2023.

Sheedy converted and added two penalties as Cardiff overwhelmed their French opponents.

It was left to the classy Thomas, named player-of-the-match, to secure a late bonus point with a gliding run with Beetham slotting over the final conversion.

Cardiff wait on takeover talks

This impressive win could precede an important week in Cardiff's future. It is an uncertain time in the domestic game in Wales, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) proposing to cut one of its four men's professional sides.

Welsh rugby's governing body has said it proposes to grant three licences for men's professional clubs.

There will be one in Cardiff, one in the east and one in the west, which could result in a survival fight between Swansea-based Ospreys and Scarlets in Llanelli.

After temporarily going into administration in April 2025, Cardiff were taken over by the WRU with the governing body expecting to sell the organisation to fresh investors in the next few weeks.

Ospreys' owners, Y11 Sport & Media, have been linked with taking over Cardiff, which could result in the desired three professional sides.

The WRU and Y11 have both declined to comment on this possibility, fuelling fears of Ospreys supporters about their side's future, while Cardiff fans have been vocal against any such proposed takeover deal.

There is another consortium looming on the horizon with former Cardiff director Martyn Ryan joined by a party that includes three television and film producers based in the United States of America.

It will be decision for the WRU about what is best for Cardiff and what is more beneficial to the governing body's final plans.

The final bids are required by Monday with a potential decision expected by the end of January at the latest.

How they lined up

Cardiff: Beetham; Stephens, Smit, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, A Davies; Barratt, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, Nott, Thornton, Mann, Basham, Lawrence.

Replacements: D Hughes, Domachowski, Sebastian, McNally, Botham, Bevan, Jennings, Millard.

Racing 92: Prisciantelli; Ravutaumada, James, Ashvetia, Donguy; Gibert, Carbonneau; Njocke, Leota, Bamba, Kpoku, Joseph (capt), Baudonne, Zinzen, Dayimani.

Replacements: Tarrit, Julien, Kharaishvili, Taofifenua, Albuisson, Tagitagivalu, Labarbe, Espeut.

Referee: Sara Cox (Eng)

Assistants: Harry Walbaum (Eng), Jamie Parr (Eng)

TMO: Peter Allan (Sco).