Cardiff Blues’ preparations for a crucial block in the Guinness PRO14 will continue next Friday (2.30pm) with a friendly encounter against the Ospreys.
Dai Young’s side host the Swansea-based outfit in the first fixture at the iconic Cardiff Arms Park since February 2020, due to the ground’s supporting role to the Dragon’s Heart Hospital and subsequent pitch renovations.
The encounter, which will be streamed live by S4C, will give Wales’ Capital Region valuable game time ahead of the next block of PRO14 fixtures, which kicks off with a trip to face Connacht on February 20.
With Young continuing to settle in back at Cardiff, the fixture will allow a wider group of players, and those returning from injury, the opportunity to impress and put pressure on the team that performed so well in back-to-back victories over the Scarlets.
Cardiff Blues director of rugby, Dai Young said: “With a month between PRO14 fixtures it is important to have a run out. We have an important block of fixtures approaching and this gives me the chance to really see what players, who may not have featured over Christmas, are really about in a competitive encounter.
“The boys involved will be eager to get back out on the pitch and can put their hands up for selection in the weeks ahead and ensure competition for places is fierce.
“It will be brilliant for all of us to get back to the Arms Park. We have been training there for the last few weeks and it’s a fantastic new surface, which is conducive to attacking rugby.
“After almost a year without games at our home ground, I know everyone is very excited to run out at the Arms Park once more and while supporters will not be able to attend we are very pleased S4C will be screening the encounter live.”
Cardiff Blues are currently third in a hugely competitive Conference B. They sit one point adrift of Connacht, who currently have two games in hand, and one ahead of the Scarlets.
All remaining fixtures in the PRO14 are against Conference B rivals, Munster (Feb 26), Benetton Rugby (March 14) and Edinburgh (March 22), ahead of the planned introduction of the Rainbow Cup.
The match will be available to watch live (in Welsh and English) on S4C Clic (http://www.s4c.cymru/clic), on S4C’s YouTube channel (in Welsh) and on S4C Chwaraeon, Cardiff Blues and Ospreys Facebook pages (in Welsh).
Bydd y gêm ar gael i wylio’n fyw (yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg) ar S4C Clic (http://www.s4c.cymru/clic) a bydd hefyd ar gael ar sianel YouTube S4C (yn Gymraeg) ac ar dudalennau Facebook S4C Chwaraeon, Gleision Caerdydd a’r Gweilch (yn Gymraeg).