The sense that the Magners League is no longer the poor relation of the English Premiership or the French Top 14 in terms of competitiveness was borne out by this nip-and-tuck clash between last season’s top dogs, with the champions, Leinster, opening their account at the home of Cardiff Blues, the runners-up. Although this finished all square both on the scoreboard and in terms of tries (one apiece), this time it was Leinster who should have finished second, given Cardiff’s supremacy in terms of possession, territory and scoring opportunities.

That Leinster escaped that fate owed everything to an opportunist try by their new signing from Auckland, full-back Isa Nacewa. He had a lively debut and got Leinster out of jail when he put up a garryowen 12 minutes from the end of normal time which was misfielded by a Cardiff defence which had looked suspect under the high ball on the few occasions Leinster employed the tactic. This time it was the Cardiff wing Richard Mustoe who was unable to hold it, and when the ball bounced off his shoulder, it fell for Malcolm O’Kelly, who shipped the ball inside for Nacewa to hit it on the burst and score from 35 metres out. Felipe Contepomi converted to give Leinster an unlikely 16-13 lead, but Cardiff were not to be squeezed out. And seven minutes from the end, Ben Blair found his kicking boots to land a 50m boomer of a penalty to tie it at 16-16.

Early in the second half, Leinster had edged their way back into the encounter thanks to Contepomi’s flawless marksmanship, the Argentine kicking his second penalty of the match to reduce the deficit to 10-6 with 50 minutes played. Cardiff had edged ahead again when Nicky Robinson kicked his

second drop goal of the match after a sustained series of Cardiff drives just before the hour, making it 13-6, but Contepomi was again on target immediately afterwards, putting Leinster within sight of Nacewa’s late thrust.

If Cardiff had responded with a bit more urgency to the promptings of their wily scrum-half, Jason Spice, they would have gone in at half-time with a much healthier half-time lead than 10-3. Instead, despite the Kiwis’ sharp brain and quick hands, Leinster were still very much in the hunt at the break. This was mainly due to some ring-rust in midfield where Nicky Robinson, playing his 100th game for the club, after a lengthy injury lay-off, got his wires crossed regularly with his midfield partners Jamie Roberts and Tom Shanklin. They were also prevented from making the most of a clear advantage at the

scrum by a combination of poor refereeing - with the official bailing Leinster out by giving penalty decisions against the stronger scrummaging side - and Jamie Heaslip’s ability to tidy up on the retreat at the base.

Afterwards Cardiff coach Dai Young said: "I am mystified how from a totally dominant scrum you get penalised, and nor was it any surprise that we had uncontested scrums for the last 10 minutes." Young was referring to the replacement of the entire Leinster front row.

Spice got Cardiff out of a tight corner when Andy Powell shovelled back a sloppy pass after receiving the kick-off, and it was Leinster who made the best of the early in-roads when a burst up the middle by Devin Toner and nifty interpassing by Whitaker and Jennings saw Powell penalised for offside at a ruck. Contepomi kicked the penalty to give Leinster an early lead before Cardiff counter attacked strongly. After Shanklin, Roberts and Mamma Molitika had launched an attack which saw Gethin Jenkins stopped just short of the line, the Blues switched the ball to the other wing. They would have scored but for Rob Kearney, who stopped the flow when he was given the benefit of the doubt and judged to have gone for an interception as opposed to a deliberate knockdown.

Leinster rode their luck, and were helped further when Blair missed with a penalty midway through the half. Soon afterwards Brian O’Driscoll made his first serious intervention with a trademark spin away from a clutch of tacklers, but when he laid the ball back it was picked up by Martyn Williams. The veteran Wales flanker was loitering with intent miles offside, but got away with it before hoofing the ball 40 metres upfield. The race was on with Nicky Robinson neck and neck with O’Kelly - and the big Dubliner got to the ball first with the help of a well-timed shoulder charge.

However, Cardiff were not to be denied, and after setting up camp in the Leinster 22 they eventually broke the visitors’ defence with a double drive of a scrum with first Powell and then Molitika making the hard yards. With the Leinster defence sucked in, Spice passed wide to the right wing for Blair to score in

the corner. The full-back converted his own handy work to give Cardiff a 7-3 lead with 24 minutes play - and the home side were in business.

For the remainder of the half they upped the tempo to attack with real verve, and improved their precision with forwards and backs combining impressively with Spice and Williams conducting the orchestra. They got their reward just before half-time when, after a series of drives finished off by the powerful Molitika, Spice fired the ball back for Robinson to take a drop goal from in front of the posts for their half-time lead.

Cardiff will have their work cut out over the next week with two games in the space of four days, with matches against the Ospreys on Tuesday night and Ulster on Friday. It is a schedule which will test their strength as a squad to the full.

Cardiff Blues: Tries: Blair. Con: Blair. Pen: Blair. Drop Goals: N Robinson 2.

Leinster: Try: Nacewa. Con: Contepomi. Pens: Contepomi 3.

Cardiff Blues: B Blair; R Mustoe, T Shanklin, J Roberts, C Czekaj; N Robinson, J Spice (D Allinson 61min); G Jenkins, G Williams (T Thomas 57min), T Filise (G Powell 57min), B Davies, P Tito (capt, S Morgan 70min), M Molitika, A Powell, M Williams.

Leinster: I Nacewa; S Horgan (L Fitzgerald 61min), B O’Driscoll, F Contepomi, R Kearney; J Sexton (G Dempsey 46min), C Whitaker (capt); C Healy, B Jackman (J Fogarty 72min), R McCormack (S Knoop 51min), D Toner, M O'Kelly, C Jowitt (S O'Brien 72min), J Heaslip, S Jennings.

Star Man: Isa Nacewa (Leinster)

Attendance: 8,619

Referee: A MacPherson (Scotland)