Understrength Blues head to Leinster
The Cardiff Blues are without 10 first-choice this players this weekend as they head to Dublin to take on the Heineken Cup champions Leinster.
Gareth Cooper, Leigh Halfpenny, Tom James, Jamie Roberts, Tom Shanklin, Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins, Andy Powell, Martyn Williams and Sam Warburton have all been called up to the Wales Squad.
Despite recording a 20 point to 12 win over the Ospreys last weekend the Blues know it will be a big challenge out in Dublin, having not won an away fixture so far this season and Leinster unbeaten in their last four matches with Cardiff Blues.
Leinster’s four game winning run in the Magners League came to a halt with the 14-16 reversal at Ulster on Friday while the Blues have won two of their last three matches in the Magners League.
With hookers T Rhys Thomas and Gareth Williams and No.7 Robin Sowden Taylor out injured, young hooker Rhys Williams makes his first start for the Blues, while Ben White also makes his first start of the season at openside Flank.
The Leinster team meanwhile will see Jonathan Sexton will partner Eoin Reddan in a backline which includes Shane Horgan, Luke Fitzgerald and Isa Nacewa.
Leo Cullen captains the Leinster team and lines up alongside Malcolm O’Kelly in a pack that also features South African prop CJ van der Linde – who starts his first game of the season having appeared as a substitute in the province’s last two games.
Cian Healy lines up alongside John Fogarty and van der Linde in the front row, with Nathan Hines, Mike Ross, Bernard Jackman and Girvan Dempsey named on a strong replacements bench.
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Malcolm O’Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen (captain), 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 John Fogarty, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Bernard Jackman, 17 Mike Ross, 18 Nathan Hines, 19 Stephen Keogh, 20 Simon Keogh, 21 Shaun Berne, 22 Girvan Dempsey.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Richard Mustoe, 13 Gareth Thomas, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 Sam Norton Knight, 9 Richie Rees, 8 Xavier Rush, 7 Ben White, 6 Scott Morgan, 5 Paul Tito (captain), 4 Deiniol Jones, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 2 Rhys Williams, 1 Darren Morris.
Replacements: 16 Rhys James, 17 Gary Powell, 18 James Down, 19 Josh Navidi, 20 Darren Allinson, 21 Ceri Sweeney, 22 Dafydd James.
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 18.30 (18.30 GMT)
Venue: RDS
Referee: James Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (Ireland), Richard Kerr (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
