Newcastle Falcons 20 - 55 Cardiff Blues
Sun 11 April 15:00 Kingston Park Att: 4,346 Ref: Jerome Garces European Challenge Cup

Cardiff Blues Team to Face Newcastle

Fri 9 Apr 2010 13:51 Cardiff Blues Team to Face Newcastle
"I'm confident going into the game", said Young. "However, we know how difficult Newcastle are especially up there. Not many teams go there and play a lot of rugby and they are always tight scores."

"They play a good kicking game and have got a strong driving line out and I imagine this is a game they will be relishing."

With a route into next season's Heineken Cup for the winners Young knows his side must put in a big performance against a stubborn Newcastle side.

"We want to win any competition we are in and would love to go all the way and win it. It's an added bonus that there is Heineken Cup qualification at the end of it," added Young.

"The intensity and tempo of the training this week has been good and the players are looking forward to it. Our focus has been on the Magners so it's refreshing that we can now concentrate on a Cup competition."

The match is not televised but there will be live updates on the Amlin Cup website http://www.ercrugby.com/live

The Blues have made three changes from the team that won out in Ravenhill last weekend. Ben Blair returns to the starting XV following the birth of his third child last weekend, plus Martyn Williams and Bradley Davies return to the team in place of Paul Tito and Sam Warburton, who take their places on the bench.

There's no changes amongst the front row, half backs or Centre pairing, with Casey Lualala recovering from a facial injury in time to play.

Blues Team: 15 Ben Blair 14 Leigh Halfpenny 13 Casey Laulala 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Ceri Sweeney 9 Richie Rees, 8 Xavier Rush 7 Martyn Williams 6 Maama Molitika 5 Deiniol Jones 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa'au Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 Gethin Jenkins (c)

Replacements:16 Gareth Williams 17 John Yapp 18 Scott Andrews 19 Paul Tito 20 Sam Warburton 21 Darren Allinson 22 Dai Flanagan 23 Dafydd Hewitt