Teddy Williams will captain Cardiff Rugby in their BKT United Rugby Championship clash against Benetton Rugby on Saturday evening (7:35pm).
The Blue & Blacks have made six changes for their trip to the Stadio Comunale di Monigo as the race for the play-offs intensify. Cardiff are currently fifth in the URC table but just eight points separate the next 10 places.
Williams is one of four personnel changes to the starting pack, following last week’s hard-fought victory over Emirates Lions, with fellow internationals Evan Lloyd and James Botham also coming back in, alongside Dan Thomas. That sees Ben Donnell move into the second-row, with Botham and Thomas on the flanks.
In the backs, Ellis Bevan is handed the scrum-half jersey, as Johan Mulder drops to the bench, while Harri Millard moves into the centre for Rey Lee-Lo, with Regan Grace handed a first URC start.
Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt said: “We were really pleased to win last weekend against the Lions. It was an important one for us and a win, which the group fully deserved.
“The league is incredibly tight this season and you can shoot up or down the table in a couple of weeks so it is important that we continue to pick up points whenever possible.
“We have put ourselves in a good position but the challenge is to stay there with some difficult fixtures coming up.
“Benetton will pose a big challenge. They have a squad full of quality, pose plenty of threats and will be looking to build on a good win over Edinburgh.”
Sherratt has again opted for a 6-2 split on the replacements bench, with Joe Cowell set for his first league appearance and Ben Thomas providing the cover across the back-line.
Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Harri Millard, Rory Jennings, Regan Grace, Callum Sheedy, Ellis Bevan, Danny Southworth, Evan Lloyd, Rhys Litterick, Ben Donnell, Teddy Williams (c), James Botham, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence.
Replacements: Dafydd Hughes, Corey Domachowski, Joe Cowell, Rory Thornton, Alex Mann, Thomas Young, Johan Mulder, Ben Thomas.