Cardiff Blues travel to Paris on Friday to face a star studded Racing Metro side. The rugby season is set to explode into life across Europe as the 17th Heineken Cup takes centre stage with all roads leading to the final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 19 May, 2012.
The Blues open their campaign against Racing Metro on Friday 11 November, 9pm kick off local time, at Stade Colombes, the match is shown on the red button on Sky Sports.
With the match against Dragons being postponed last Friday night, the Blues had to change their preparation this week. Speaking ahead of the trip to France, Cardiff Blues forwards coach Justin Burnell said,
“Due to the cancelled game, on Monday morning we had two XV’s playing against each other, which was interesting.”
“It was an eye opener with the XV that was due to play against the Dragons playing against another XV.”
“There was some good match up’s so selection has been very difficult.”
“Obviously having the game against Dragons postponed wasn’t ideal.”
“A lot of players have performed fantastically for us during the opening of the PRO12 so it would have been good to mix them with the World Cup players.”
“The Welsh players have come back from a very successful campaign and they showed they are some of the best players in the world.”
“Physically and mentally they are ready for the Heineken Cup.”
Looking at the strength of the Racing Metro side Burnell added,
“When you play a French team first up, on their own patch, it is perhaps the most difficult game of the pool.”
“However, we have got the mindset that we have to perform and win the game.”
“They are typically French, in so much as they have good set piece, strong scrum, one second row doesn’t jump and is 120kilos and an outstanding kicking outside half.”
“It will be a massive physical battle, that’s what we’re planning for and working towards.”
Racing Metro 15 Gaetan Germain 14 Sireli Bobo 13 Henry Chavancy 12 Fabrice Estebanez 11 Juan Imhoff 10 Juan Martin Hernandez 9 Mathieu Loree
1 Andrea Lo Cicero 2 Benjamin Noirot 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi 4 Karim Ghezal 5 Jone Qovu Nailiko 6 Johnny Leo'o 7 Antoine Battut 8 Jacques Cronje
Replacements 16 Thomas Bianchin 17 Eddy Ben Arous 18 Johannes Coetzee 19 Lionel Nallet 20 Nicolas Dubrand 21 Jonathan Wishiewski 22 Virimi Vakatawa 23 Remi Vaquin
Cardiff Blues 15 Chris Czekaj 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Lloyd Williams
8 Xavier Rush 7 Sam Warburton 6 Michael Paterson 5 James Down 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa’ao Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas (c) 1 Gethin Jenkins
16 Marc Breeze 17 John Yapp 18 Scott Andrews 19 Paul Tito 20 Andries Pretorius 21 Richie Rees 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gavin Evans
The Blues have been dealt a blow with the news that Deiniol Jones will be out for 8 to 10 weeks with a shoulder injury.
The Blues are also without the following players due to injury:
Deiniol Jones - shoulder
Leigh Halfpenny – foot
Martyn Williams - wrist
Gavin Henson - wrist
Kristian Dacey - shoulder