Saracens' miserable week ended in a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Cardiff in the EDF Energy Cup.

After their insipid display against London Irish last week, Saracens looked to have turned a corner with a bright and breezy first half display.

But the hosts fell away badly in the second 40 minutes as the Blues ran out deserved winners.

Rugby league convert Andy Farrell, the subject of an increasingly bitter row between club and country, played 21 minutes from the bench at blindside flanker, but he could do little to stem the tide of an impressive Cardiff resurgence.

Former Saracens centre Tom Shanklin scored two tries for the visitors, who also crossed the whitewash through Marc Stcherbina, Mark Lewis and Mosese Luveitasau.

Full-back Ben Blair kicked 15 points in an assured display.

The home side scored tries through Ben Johnston and Tomas de Vedia, while Glen Jackson kicked 19 points, but they were outclassed and outmuscled by the Welsh visitors.

The defeat ends Sarries' interest in the competition, and they must now focus on getting their Guinness Premiership campaign back on track.

The visitors made the brightest possible start when centre Stcherbina confused the Sarries defence with a neat inside dummy which made space for him to scorch over by the uprights.

Blair added the extras to make it 7-0 after four minutes before Jackson got the home side on the scoreboard with a simple penalty soon after.

Cardiff struck for the second time after 14 minutes when the Saracens forwards coughed up possession at a ruck and quick hands down the blindside gave Shanklin - playing against his former club - a one-on-one with David Seymour.

The Wales centre had too much pace for the openside and cantered in from the halfway line.

Saracens responded with a well-worked try of their own when winger de Vedia crashed over in the corner after good work from his forwards.

Jackson converted from wide out and the two kickers exchanged further penalties to make it 15-13 to the Blues after 25 minutes.

Jackson's fourth successful kick of the game put Sarries in front for the first time, and the home side went further ahead in the 32nd minute after Blues hooker Rhys Thomas was penalised for a deliberate knock on.

Thomas was sent to the sin bin for his troubles and Jackson slotted the ensuing penalty before adding another just before the break as Sarries went in at half-time with a seven-point cushion.

The Blues came out stronger in the second-half, and scored their third try of the afternoon when Lewis thundered over after some clinical interplay from the three-quarters.

Lewis was forced off the field after being injured in the act of scoring - but his absence did not seem affect the visitors as Blair added the conversion and Shanklin flew in for his second try, and a bonus point, two minutes later to put the Welshmen back in front at 27-22.

Blair added another penalty to take the Blues into an eight point lead before Gaffney introduced Farrell into the action after 59 minutes.

Farrell could do little to stop the increasingly one-way traffic, as Blair stretched the Blues lead further with another penalty in the 65th minute.

Cardiff made the game safe in the 67th minute when Luveitasau intercepted Johnston's pass - intended for Farrell - and cruised over. Blair's

conversion made it 40-22.

Johnston added a late consolation try for Sarries but it could not mask another poor display.