Racing Metro's Juan Martin Hernandez tries to tackle Cardiff Blues' Alex Cuthbert © Getty Images

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Match Pack: Blues lay down impressive marker

Matches: Racing Metro 20 - 26 Cardiff Blues

Players/Officials: Bradley Davies | Taufa'ao Filise | Juan Martin Hernandez | Andrea Lo Cicero Vaina | Lionel Nallet | Sam Warburton

Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup

Teams: Cardiff Blues | France | Racing Metro | Wales

Cardiff Blues coach Justin Burnell refused to get carried away with his side's superb away win over big-spending French outfit Racing Metro in their Heineken Cup opener on the outskirts of Paris.

The Blues recorded a significant 26-20 victory, with tries by prop Tau Filise and young wing Alex Cuthbert, to put them in pole position for qualification from a pool which also includes London Irish and Edinburgh. Scotland fly-half Dan Parks also kicked 16 points, including two conversions and four penalties, for Cardiff at the Stade Yves Du Manoir.

"We won't be getting carried away with this win," said Burnell. "We deserved the win and we really fronted up against a formidable Racing Metro side. We more than matched them physically and proved we are a good side and I cannot fault the commitment and attitude of any of our players.

"Xavier Rush, Tau Filise, Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins and Michael Paterson were all exceptional for us and not many sides will come to France and achieve what we have done here. We will enjoy this win but it now makes our next game against London Irish, who we all know are a very good side indeed, more important. We have to get something out of that game but this win away in France should give us some real confidence for the rest of our European campaign."

Burnell revealed that Wales centre Jamie Roberts, who limped off after only 11 minutes of the game with a groin injury, should be back in action soon. "Jamie picked up a groin strain but it doesn't look serious," said Burnell.

But the horrific leg injury to young Blues lock James Down in the second minute, which saw him carried off the field, will rule him out for probably the rest of the season. "James looks like he had dislocated or broken his ankle which is such a shame because he was selected for this game on merit and he will be out for a while."