Cardiff Blues v Leinster - Saturday 19 February, Cardiff City Stadium, 6.30pm
The Blues take on Leinster this Saturday at 6.30pm with a team showing four changes from the starting XV that defeated Glasgow last weekend.
The Backs remain unchanged but in the forwards Xavier Rush, Deiniol Jones and Gareth Williams all start, and are joined by John Yapp who returns from the Wales squad.
Scott Andrews and Dan Parks also return and are on the bench. The Blues are without second row forward Bryn Griffiths, who has been suspended for three weeks and Richie Rees who is also suspended.
Speaking ahead of the match, Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby, David Young, said,
“In quite a few games this year I think we have been by far the better team, and been on top for most of the match, but with only ten minutes to go we’ve only been five points in front.”
“So, one score, one converted try, would mean we lose a game against a team we have totally dominated.”
“It’s always going to be thin margins against the better opposition and we know we are not going to kill these teams, but when you get three or four opportunities, you have got to score.”
“Obviously matches are quite tight at this stage of the season and you know every game is important to everybody.”
“No team is going to forsake a game because the next one is more important.”
Family tickets for the match, two adults and two children, are available online priced at only £20.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Dan Fish 14 Richard Mustoe 13 Gavin Evans 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Tom James 10 Ceri Sweeney 9 Tom Slater
8 Xavier Rush 7 Martyn Williams 6 Andries Pretorius 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Deiniol Jones 3 Fau Filise 2 Gareth Williams 1 John Yap
16 Rhys Williams 17 Sam Hobbs 18 Scott Andrews 19 Ben White 20 Ma’ama Molitika 21 Rhys Downes 22 Dan Parks 23 James Loxton
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa 14 Andrew Conway 13 Eoin O’Malley 12 Eamonn Sheridan 11 Niall Morris 10 Ian McKinley 9 Isaac Boss
8 Rhys Ruddock 7 Dominic Ryan 6 Kevin McLaughlin 5 Devin Toner 4 Leo Cullen (c) 3 Clint Newland 2 Richardt Strauss 1 Heinke van der Merwe
16 Jason Harris-Wright 17 Jack McGrat 18 Stan Wright 19 Nathan Hines 20 Stephen Keogh 21 Eoin Reddan 22 Ian Madigan 23 Michael Keating
The following Cardiff Blues players were not available for selection because of injury:
T Rhys Thomas - cheek
Ben Blair - knee
Gethin Jenkins – toe
Michael Paterson - foot
Lloyd Williams - shoulder
Tom Shanklin - knee
Casey Laulala – hamstring
Tom Davies - calf