Cardiff Blues back-row forward Maama Molitika returns to action for the first time in four months, having recovered from a torn chest muscle. The Tongan international picked up the injury in the 19-15 victory over the Scarlets on the 26th of September and has been in rehab since. He will now start for the Blues at Number 8 when they take on Newcastle Falcons this Sunday.
Molitika is joined in the Back-row by Wales Six Nations squad member Sam Warburton and promising blind-side flanker Andries Pretorious. There is a young front row with Blues Academy members Scott Andrews, Huw Dowden or Gary Horrigan and Sam Hobbs all starting. In the backs Tom Shanklin makes his 100th appearance for the Blues with young halfbacks Dai Flanagan and Darren Allinson both making their first starts of the season.
The match kicks off at 3.00pm on Sunday in what will be a dress rehearsal of April's Amlin Challenge Cup quarter final and children aged under 16 can watch the match for only £1 while student tickets are only £5. Tickets for the match, priced from only £1 for Under 16's and £5 for students, are available by calling the ticket office on 0845 345 1400. Please note that Save the Children will be holding a special collection at the match for the Haiti Earthquake appeal. Cardiff Blues would like to thank all their supporters for the generosity they have shown with the charity collections so far this season.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Sam Norton-Knight; 14 Richard Mustoe; 13 Tom Shanklin; 12 Dafydd Hewitt; 11 Dafydd James; 10 Dai Flanagan; 9 Darren Allinson; 1 Sam Hobbs; 2 Huw Dowden; 3 Scott Andrews; 4 Scott Morgan; 5 Paul Tito (c); 6 Andries Pretorius; 7 Sam Warburton; 8 Maama Molitika.
Replacements: 16 Gary Horrigan; 17 Taufa'ao Filise; 18 Gary Powell; 19 Chris Dicomidis; 20 Ben White; 21 Tom Slater; 22 Ceri Sweeney; 23 Gareth Thomas; 24 Chris Czekaj.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Tom Catterick; 14 Danny Williams; 13 Michael Tait; 12 Gcobani Bobo; 11 Tom Biggs; 10 Rob Miller; 9 Chris Pilgrim; 1 Grant Shiells; 2 Alex Walker; 3 Matt Thompson; 4 Peter Browne; 5 Mark Sorenson; 6 Ed Williamson; 7 Will Welch; 8 Adam Balding (captain)
Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers; 17 Micky Ward; 18 Kieran Brookes; 19 Josh Afu; 20 Alex Gray; 21 Hall Charlton; 22 Rob Vickerman; 23 Charlie Amesbury
Referee: James Jones WRU
Following Cardiff RFC all over from sunny Bournemouth in Blue and Black
Pity about the Ref - J Jones. Hope he's not as one sided as normal
Cardiff Blues 10 - 5 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 1 - Penalties: Flanagan x 1
Newcastle: Try: Walker
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tyne/hi/front_page/newsid_8255000/8255370.stm
Cardiff Blues 13 - 5 Newcastle Falcons currently
Scott Morgan yellow carded
Cardiff Blues 13 - 12 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 1 - Penalties: Flanagan x 2
Newcastle: Try: Walker x 2 - Conversions: Miller x 1 - Penalties: 0
Cardiff Blues 16 - 12 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 1 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
HALF TIME
Cardiff Blues 23 - 12 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 1 Molitika x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 2 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
Williamson of Newcastle Yellow Carded
Cardiff Blues 23 - 12 Newcastle Falcons
Vickers Newcastle Yellow carded
Cardiff Blues 28 - 12 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 1 Molitika x 1 Mustoe x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 2 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
Cardiff Blues 28 - 17 Newcastle Falcons currently
Newcastle: Try: Walker x 3 - Conversions: Miller x 1 - Penalties: 0
Taufa'ao Filise on
Sam Hobbs has been down injured for some time, looking serious, stretcher and oxygen there
Cardiff Blues 33 - 17 Newcastle Falcons currently
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 2 Molitika x 1 Mustoe x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 2 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
Cardiff Blues 33 - 17 Newcastle Falcons
Flanagan off Sweeney on
Tom Shanklin off Gareth Thomas on
Cardiff Blues 40 - 17 Newcastle Falcons
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 2 Molitika x 1 Mustoe x 1 Sweeney x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 2 Sweeney x 1 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
Cardiff Blues 40 - 24 Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle: Try: Walker x 3 - Vickers x 1 - Conversions: Miller x 2 - Penalties: 0
Cardiff Blues 45 - 24 Newcastle Falcons
Cardiff Blues Tries: Norton-Knight x 2 Molitika x 1 Mustoe x 1 Sweeney x 1 White x 1 - Conversions: Flanagan x 2 Sweeney x 1 - Penalties: Flanagan x 3
Flanagan MotM
Cardiff Blues Tries x 6: Norton-Knight x 2, Molitika x 1, Mustoe x 1, Sweeney x 1, White x 1 - Conversions x 3: Flanagan x 2, Sweeney x 1 - Penalties x 3: Flanagan x 3
Newcastle: Tries x 4: Walker x 3, Vickers x 1 - Conversions x 2: Miller x 2
FULL TIME