HAVING only previously beaten Cardiff Blues at a packed Rodney Parade an away win at the Arms Park was a pretty special occasion that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, but this afternoon it’s vital that the boys back up a great performance and victory.

It’s often been a case of ‘close, but no cigar’ when playing them in the capital so it was great to finally get a great derby win.

It was a first win there since 2003 and I know the importance of these games to the clubs and fans having watched for many years as a youngster before playing in them. Victory shows we are moving forward as a club and gelling as a team.

They’ve tinkered with their side and Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Anscombe are all good players but we just need to concentrate on ourselves and stick to what we do well.

We have to show the same mental attitude and play with the same intensity (if not more) as we did on Boxing Day.

The game was a typical derby with plenty of big hits. I got a nice warm welcome to the face from a lineout carry in the 12th minute and that certainly woke me up.

I was absolutely battered when I came off in the second half after copping a fair few head shots and having flared up previous niggles, meaning that I have to sit out today’s return fixture.

Once I came off and sat in the dugout, relief for the body quickly turned into frustration, concern, worry, panic as the Blues chipped away at our lead but I knew it was our day and thankfully we held on for a deserved win.

Rhys Thomas was a massive loss to us early on in the warm-up because of an injury he had been carrying; as a former Cardiff Blues player he was certainly up for the game and I knew it must have been serious for him to drop out.

But he was sure it was our day – and he was right.

Elliot Dee was a good deputy and stepped up to the plate and was rewarded with a great try from a great pack effort, and I don't think I will be passing back too early next time in the maul!

It’s been a quick turnaround for today’s return fixture and there have been some bruised bodies, just as I am sure there have been at the Blues’ training base.

Neither side has had enough time to change things dramatically but we know that they are going to come out fighting from the first whistle today.

We said in the changing room at the Arms Park that it was only half-time and we know we need to follow up that great win, something we didn’t do in the double-header last season.

But we are moving forward as a team. We had a good Christmas social together and I am a firm believer in off-field stuff transferring onto it.

We are a tight-knit group and there is a good synergy between backs and forwards at the moment. We are working well as a XV – as was shown by a Jason Tovey, Hallam Amos, Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan joining in with the driving lineout that earned our penalty try!

That needs to continue at Rodney Parade today because the Blues have a big power game, they are good at latching and when they got in our 22 they caused some damage so it’s a case of not letting them get there.

Our discipline was pretty good, preventing them from pinning us back close to our line, while I thought that Tovey, Tom Prydie and Amos were outstanding and won the kicking battle.

Tov is really dominating at 10 at the moment and that’s great to see. We are missing Ashley Smith’s communication but Jason has stepped up to the plate, making the back line flow nicely and making good decisions when to kick.

There’s plenty of confidence in the squad after four victories on the spin. Winning breeds winning and hopefully it’s a habit that will continue this afternoon.

I look forward to seeing and hearing the Rodney Parade faithful welcome the Blues to our home turf.