Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny is a fitness doubt for the Blues' Magners League opener against Edinburgh at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.
"Leigh's got quite a nasty cut under the bottom lip, but nothing's broken," said coach Dai Young after Friday's 19-3 friendly win over the Dragons. "I would have thought he would be available, but I'm not going to risk anyone first game if they're not 100%. "Thankfully, we've got pretty much a full squad to choose from." Ben Blair, Gethin Jenkins and Taufa'ao Filise will miss the start of the season, Filise expected to be fit in time for the 11 September clash with Leinster in Dublin. Jamie Roberts and Gareth Williams are long-term casualties, Williams expected to return in October.
The Blues' big summer recruit from Glasgow Warriors - Scotland fly-half Dan Parks - has been told that he is not an automatic selection ahead of last season's form number 10, Ceri Sweeney. "I'd never take selection for granted," Parks told BBC Sport Wales. "Ceri had a fantastic season last year and there's a duel there. When I get my opportunities I have to take them. "I know the Edinburgh side well, so this is an exciting start to the season."
Head coach Rob Moffat is demanding a big start to Edinburgh’s 2010-2011 Magners League campaign as he names his team today for Saturday’s opening match – away to Cardiff Blues.
Fresh off a 19-17 warm-up fixture against London Irish last weekend, he has listed three players for Magners League debuts in the starting line-up – Fijian internationalist Netani Talei at No 8, Scotland cap Alex Grove at inside centre and the 22-year-old Scotland sevens internationalist and former Selkirk back Lee Jones on the right wing. Elsewhere Phil Godman holds off the strong challenge of David Blair to take the ten jersey for what will be his 100th Magners League appearance, while Scott MacLeod and Andrew Kelly return to the squad.
Moffat said: “We’re really looking forward to the start of the season. I think we got a lot out of both our warm-up fixtures against Bath and London Irish – not least the amount of game time across the squad and whether it was first year pros or the elite boys any number of them put their hands up and pushed for selection.” In that regard Moffat praised Lee Jones who scored a second-half try brace against London Irish. Jones has won a starting berth ahead of both Mark Robertson and Andrew Turnbull. “Lee deserved a start. He’s got a tremendous work ethic, has trained very well and has been a great example for others,” he explained.
Turning to the game Moffat added: “We are excited to be starting the league. We began really well last season when we beat Cardiff in Cardiff in our first game. In fact we have won on our last three league visits to Cardiff. “Cardiff finished last season very well and had a good win against the Dragons in Martyn Williams’ testimonial game last Friday so we know it will be tough on Saturday.”
Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues in the Magners League on Saturday 4 September at Cardiff City Football Club's Stadium, kick-off 6.30pm, live on S4C:
CARDIFF BLUES: 15 Chris Czekaj; 14 Richard Mustoe; 13 Casey Laulala; 12 Tom Shanklin; 11 Tom James; 10 Dan Parks; 9 Richie Rees; 1 Gethin Jenkins; 2 T Rhys Thomas; 3 Scott Andrews; 4 Bradley Davies; 5 Paul Tito (c); 6 Maama Molitika; 7 Martyn Williams; 8 Xavier Rush
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Sam Hobbs; 17 Rhys Williams; 18 Tom Davies; 19 Deiniol Jones; 20 Sam Warburton; 21 Lloyd Williams; 22 Ceri Sweeney; 23 Ben Blair.
EDINBURGH: 15 Chris Paterson; 14 Lee Jones; 13 Ben Cairns; 12 Alex Grove; 11 Tim Visser; 10 Phil Godman; 9 Mike Blair; 1 Allan Jacobsen; 2 Ross Ford; 3 Geoff Cross; 4 Fraser McKenzie; 5 Scott MacLeod; 6 Alan MacDonald; 8 Netani Talei; 7 Roddy Grant (c)
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Andrew Kelly; 17 Kyle Traynor; 18 Jack Gilding; 19 Craig Hamilton; 20 Scott Newlands; 21 Greig Laidlaw; 22 David Blair; 23 John Houston.
REFEREE: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 28th League game); Assistant Referees: Phil Fear, Colin Kirkhouse (both WRU); TMO: Tony Rowlands (WRU).
Following Cardiff RFC all over from sunny Bournemouth in Blue and Black
Good to see Ben Blair included ,Yappy ,Filse and Halfpenny all expected back for next weeks match Cooper out for a few more weeks , Gareth Williams back in October and Roberts and Gary Powell November
Good win. Some outstanding individual performances. Great start to the season - bonus-point win. Can't ask for much more!!
Well done lads.
"Go ahead and play The Blues if it'll make you happy." Homer J. Simpson"To be born Welsh is to be born privileged. Not with a silver spoon in your mouth, but music in your blood and poetry in your soul." Wilfred Wilson
Cardiff Blues Report here: http://www.cardiffblues.com/rugby/4583.php
Edinburgh Match Report here: http://www.edinburghrugby.org/content/view/3149/2/
BBC Match Report here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8953421.stm
Thomson House Match Report here: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2010/09/05/new-signing-parks-sparks-up-the-blues-magners-campaign-91466-27203541/
A much better start than last year, looking promising for the coming few games. We just need to keep improving as we get into the season. Good to see there's some pro-active movement on getting some singing/chanting going on.
dare 2b different-dare 2b blue