Match: Bath Rugby vs Cardiff Blues
Date: Fariday, 05 November, 2010
Time: 19:45 (GMT/UTC)
Venue : Welford Road
Competitions: LV = Cup
Bath Rugby vs Cardiff Blues Match Preview :
Cardiff Blues kick off their LV=Cup campaign with an away game against Bath at the Recreation Ground on Friday.
With ten Cardiff Blues players away on international duty David Young gives the opportunity for many young Blues players to make their mark.
Dan Fish, who made an assured debut for the Blues against Aironi last weekend, starts at full-back, with another Blues Academy product James Loxton starting on the wing.
In the centre Dafydd Hewitt returns from training with Wales and will partner Gavin Evans, while Cardiff RFC fly-half Gareth Davies also starts.
In the forwards Gareth Williams returns from a long lay-off, having recovered from neck and shoulder operations, to start at hooker. He is accompanied in the front row by Tom Davies and John Yapp, who has also returned from the Welsh squad.
There's a new pairing at second row with Academy product James Down packing down next to Bryn Griffiths, who is set to make his competitive debut for the Blues.
The back row sees Andries Pretorius captain the side for the first time, with fellow former Hartpury College pupil Tom Brown making his competitive debut at number eight. Ben White starts at openside.
The Blues are also without a number of key players: Jamie Roberts is still out with a wrist injury, Leigh Halfpenny ankle injury, Taufa'ao Filise with a shoulder injury and Ben Blair with a knee injury.
Ceri Sweeney and Casey Laulala both picked up knocks in last weekend's win over Aironi and were not considered for selection.
Meanwhile, Bath will field an intriguing mix of familiar faces and some of the club's rising stars.
Jacques Boussuge, Ross Batty and John van der Giessen all make their first starts for Bath, whilst Matt Banahan is given the captain's armband for the first time.
There is also a welcome return to the bench for Peter Short, Lee Mears and Aaron Jarvis, who are all back from injury.
The teams:
Bath: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Jacques Boussuge, 13 Matt Banahan (c), 12 Ben Williams, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Mark McMillan, 8 Ben Skirving, 7 Guy Mercer, 6 Josh Ovens, 5 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 4 John van der Giessen, 3 Duncan Bell, 2 Ross Batty, 1 David Flatman.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 David Barnes, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Peter Short, 20 Will Skuse, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Paul Roberts, 23 Nick Scott.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Dan Fish, 14 Richard Mustoe, 13 Gavin Evans, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 James Loxton, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Tom Brown, 7 Ben White, 6 Andries Pretorius (c), 5 James Down, 4 Bryn Griffiths, 3 John Yapp, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 Tom Davies.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Ian George, 19 Corey Hill, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Tom Slater, 22 Joe Griffin, 23 Owen Williams.
