Cardiff Blues are back in Magners League action tomorrow with a top of the table tie against Leinster and have a prime opportunity to become joint leaders.
The Blues trail the Irish outfit by five points meaning a bonus-point victory in Dublin would see them draw level with Leinster although the home side’s superior scoring record would keep them top.
Leinster won 30-19 in the reverse fixture at the Arms Park and the Blues are looking to avenge it. Young said: “Naturally we were all disappointed with the result and the performance against Leinster in September. It was a scrappy match and our errors cost us heavily. We will have to improve on that kind of performance if we are to get anything out in Ireland.”
Buoyed by the mid-week appointment of Blues Director of Rugby Dai Young as Barbarians coach and the return of Tom James, Robin Sowden-Taylor and new cap Jamie Roberts, the Blues are also seeking to banish the ghosts of their last Magners League outing.
The 11-10 defeat to Edinburgh at the Arms Park in January rankled manager and fans alike but was followed by two sterling Heineken Cup victories against Harlequins 23-12 and away at Bristol 17-0.
Young was delighted at Gatland’s decision to release James, Sowden-Taylor and Roberts to help his cause and give them valuable game time. “It is fantastic to have them back as we try to rediscover the form of the Heineken Cup,” he said.
“We know how important it is for us to get a win out in Leinster. They are five points ahead of us and if we don’t get anything over in Dublin it will be difficult to close the gap on them with only seven matches remaining.
“The players had a week off after the Bristol match and are all keen to get back on the pitch and re start our challenge in the Magners League,” he said.
Tom James is set to make his first start since his try-scoring performance against Stade Francais in December. The young wing has recovered from a kidney infection which nearly cost him a place in Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad and will be keen to remind Gatland of his promise after watching the New Zealand coach hand a first cap to his Blues teammate, Roberts, against Scotland.
Gethin Jenkins, Deiniol Jones, Tom Shanklin and Martyn Williams are all unavailable for the clash.
The Blues know they will have to be at their best to take the points at the Royal Dublin Society with Leinster having won their last five matches in the Magners League since a 16-all draw against Ulster at Ravenhill in October.
Leinster may not travel well but they have won their previous six matches at the RDS. Their last home defeat was a 52-23 hammering by Llanelli Scarlets in October, the Irish side’s first loss in the Magners League for two years.
More recently, in their previous two encounters at the RDS, Leinster beat the Ospreys 26-15 and Heineken Cup favourites Toulouse 20 – 13 although they come off the back of a 25-9 defeat away to Leicester which ended their Heineken Cup campaign.
Ireland wing Shane Horgan has been named in the 24-man Leinster squad alongside Ireland internationals Leo Cullen, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings and Trevor Hogan.
Leinster are further boosted by the return from injury of Australian international scrum-half Chris Whitaker who has been missing since the middle of November.
The Irish province are missing Brian O’ Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O’Kelly, Jamie Heaslip and the injured Gordon D’Arcy.
Leinster v Cardiff Blues Saturday 16 February 7.30pm kick off.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Jamie Roberts, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Gareth Thomas, 11 Tom James, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Jason Spice, 8 Xavier Rush (c ), 7 Robin Sowden Taylor, 6 Maama Molitika, 5 Paul Tito, 4 Scott Morgan, 3 Tauf’au Filise, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 John Yapp. Replacements: 16 Gary Powell, 17 T Rhys Thomas, 18 Ben White, 19 Mark Lewis, 20 Richie Rees, 21 Rhys Jones, 22 Tal Selley.
Leinster: 15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Michael Berne, 13 Christian Warner, 12 Ian Keatley, 11 Felipe Contepomi, 10 Chris Whitaker, 9 Chris Keane, 8 Trevor Hogan, 7 Leo Cullen, 6 Stan Wright, 5 Stephen Knoop, 4 Brian Blaney, 3 Ronan McCormack, 2 Ollie le Roux, 1 Cian Healy. Replacements: 16 Cameron Jowitt, 17 Stephen Keogh, 18 Keith Gleeson, 19 Shane Jennings, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Gary Brown, 22 Shane Horgan, 23 Felix Jones, 24 Ross McCarron
Referee: Peter Allan (SRU), Sub referee: Simon McDowell (IRFU), Touch judge: Ger English (IRFU), TMO: Dudley Phillips (IRFU).
The Blues trail the Irish outfit by five points meaning a bonus-point victory in Dublin would see them draw level with Leinster although the home side’s superior scoring record would keep them top.
Leinster won 30-19 in the reverse fixture at the Arms Park and the Blues are looking to avenge it. Young said: “Naturally we were all disappointed with the result and the performance against Leinster in September. It was a scrappy match and our errors cost us heavily. We will have to improve on that kind of performance if we are to get anything out in Ireland.”
Buoyed by the mid-week appointment of Blues Director of Rugby Dai Young as Barbarians coach and the return of Tom James, Robin Sowden-Taylor and new cap Jamie Roberts, the Blues are also seeking to banish the ghosts of their last Magners League outing.
The 11-10 defeat to Edinburgh at the Arms Park in January rankled manager and fans alike but was followed by two sterling Heineken Cup victories against Harlequins 23-12 and away at Bristol 17-0.
Young was delighted at Gatland’s decision to release James, Sowden-Taylor and Roberts to help his cause and give them valuable game time. “It is fantastic to have them back as we try to rediscover the form of the Heineken Cup,” he said.
“We know how important it is for us to get a win out in Leinster. They are five points ahead of us and if we don’t get anything over in Dublin it will be difficult to close the gap on them with only seven matches remaining.
“The players had a week off after the Bristol match and are all keen to get back on the pitch and re start our challenge in the Magners League,” he said.
Tom James is set to make his first start since his try-scoring performance against Stade Francais in December. The young wing has recovered from a kidney infection which nearly cost him a place in Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad and will be keen to remind Gatland of his promise after watching the New Zealand coach hand a first cap to his Blues teammate, Roberts, against Scotland.
Gethin Jenkins, Deiniol Jones, Tom Shanklin and Martyn Williams are all unavailable for the clash.
The Blues know they will have to be at their best to take the points at the Royal Dublin Society with Leinster having won their last five matches in the Magners League since a 16-all draw against Ulster at Ravenhill in October.
Leinster may not travel well but they have won their previous six matches at the RDS. Their last home defeat was a 52-23 hammering by Llanelli Scarlets in October, the Irish side’s first loss in the Magners League for two years.
More recently, in their previous two encounters at the RDS, Leinster beat the Ospreys 26-15 and Heineken Cup favourites Toulouse 20 – 13 although they come off the back of a 25-9 defeat away to Leicester which ended their Heineken Cup campaign.
Ireland wing Shane Horgan has been named in the 24-man Leinster squad alongside Ireland internationals Leo Cullen, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings and Trevor Hogan.
Leinster are further boosted by the return from injury of Australian international scrum-half Chris Whitaker who has been missing since the middle of November.
The Irish province are missing Brian O’ Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O’Kelly, Jamie Heaslip and the injured Gordon D’Arcy.
Leinster v Cardiff Blues Saturday 16 February 7.30pm kick off.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Jamie Roberts, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Gareth Thomas, 11 Tom James, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Jason Spice, 8 Xavier Rush (c ), 7 Robin Sowden Taylor, 6 Maama Molitika, 5 Paul Tito, 4 Scott Morgan, 3 Tauf’au Filise, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 John Yapp. Replacements: 16 Gary Powell, 17 T Rhys Thomas, 18 Ben White, 19 Mark Lewis, 20 Richie Rees, 21 Rhys Jones, 22 Tal Selley.
Leinster: 15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Michael Berne, 13 Christian Warner, 12 Ian Keatley, 11 Felipe Contepomi, 10 Chris Whitaker, 9 Chris Keane, 8 Trevor Hogan, 7 Leo Cullen, 6 Stan Wright, 5 Stephen Knoop, 4 Brian Blaney, 3 Ronan McCormack, 2 Ollie le Roux, 1 Cian Healy. Replacements: 16 Cameron Jowitt, 17 Stephen Keogh, 18 Keith Gleeson, 19 Shane Jennings, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Gary Brown, 22 Shane Horgan, 23 Felix Jones, 24 Ross McCarron
Referee: Peter Allan (SRU), Sub referee: Simon McDowell (IRFU), Touch judge: Ger English (IRFU), TMO: Dudley Phillips (IRFU).
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