Heineken Cup: Phil Davies wants Cardiff Blues to build on fight-back

Cardiff's Harry Robinson (right) looks on as Exeter's Dean Mumms celebrates a try

Cardiff Blues boss Phil Davies tried to take the positives out of his side's 44-29 Heineken Cup defeat at Exeter.

The Blues earned a losing bonus point after a positive second-half display in which they hit back from 36-3 down.

"In the second half we were a bit more like it and I was pleased to get that point," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"We had far more control of the game in the second half, far more momentum and we are happy with that. But overall we are not pleased with the outcome."

Exeter scored six tries in the match and earned their own bonus point in the first half-hour.

Director of rugby Davies added: "We didn't do anything we really said we would do in the first half, particularly from our kicking game, and that gave them too many opportunities to come back at us.

"I think we had to make 100 tackles and missed 20 and that's not good enough at this level, although you have got to give credit to Exeter who are a good attacking side.

"We can't do anything about it now, but we could do something at half-time which we did and at least we have got a bit of momentum going into Toulon next week.

"We want to start and play for 80 minutes in the way we played in the last 40 today.

"We will get a bit of work done on the defence. We have been working hard on it - you wouldn't perhaps think that in the first half - but we have put a lot of effort and work into it and that's got to continue and we have got to get back on the bike and move forward again."

Davies denied that the result had left him under any pressure, although the Blues next face defending Heineken Cup champions Toulon at the Arms Park next Saturday.

"Everything always comes back to me," he said. "We are all in this together and Exeter are a tough nut to crack.

"We have just got to do what we have got to do and making rash decisions and pointing fingers is no good.

"We have got to stick together and get on with it and we will do."