Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro 22nd

Cardiff Blues have made two changes to their starting XV for their Heineken
Cup decider against Racing Metro Paris 92 on Sunday, 3.15pm kick off.

There is one change in the backs with Gavin Evans coming in for Gavin
Henson at inside centre and one change in the forwards with Scott Andrews
coming in at tight-head for Fau Filise, who is out with a shoulder injury.

Tom James is on the bench in place of Richard Mustoe and Sam Hobbs comes in
as front row cover.

The Blues and Edinburgh are level on 17 points in Pool 2 but if things
remain level on match points after the end of the group stages, the Blues
will top the pool due to their superior head to head record between the
teams, with the Blues 5-4 better off thanks to a losing bonus point they
claimed up in Murrayfield.

The maximum either team can get in the pool is 22 points, however, 21
points maybe enough for both teams to qualify as a best placed runners up.
With it being the last pool match played over the weekend both teams will
know exactly what they need to reach the knock out stages.

Speaking ahead of the match Cardiff Blues Backs Coach Gareth Baber first
reflected on the win in Paris saying,

"No team likes being beaten at home and the next time you get to play
the opposing team it’s a great opportunity, so I’m sure Racing
Metro will be looking to get one over on us.

We are mindful of what they will bring, however, we have to back
ourselves to get the victory."

"Our first thoughts are to keep our focus and a winning mentality. We
need to get the win and see where we are at the end of it. It's no
good talking about winning bonus points because it's easy to say what
you're going to do before the game but things change during the
match."

"However, we are fortunate to have the quality players within this
group that are able to adapt to the situation in the game and make it count.
Rugby is about the winning and sometimes when you produce a winning
performance you get maximum points at the end of it."

Season ticket holders are reminded that they can buy additional tickets for
the match for only£10 each, with a maximum of two £10 tickets
per season ticket holder.

Tickets for the Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro, Sunday 22 January, 3.15pm
kick off, are available online on www.cardiffblues.com/tickets or by calling
0845 345 1400.


Cardiff Blues 15 Leigh Halfpenny 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Gavin
Evans 11 Chris Czekaj 10 Dan Parks 9 Lloyd Williams

8 Xavier Rush 7 Sam Warburton 6 Michael Paterson 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Bradley
Davies
3 Scott Andrews 2 T Rhys Thomas1 Gethin Jenkins

16 Ryan Tyrell 17 John Yapp 18 Sam Hobbs 19 Maama Molitika 20 Josh Navidi
21 Richie Rees 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Tom James

Not available due to injury:

Fau Filise - shoulder
Jamie Roberts - knee
Dafydd Hewitt - hamstring
James Down - ankle
Andries Pretorius - knee
Deiniol Jones - shoulder

I guess it's pretty much what I expected.
Filise out is a big blow. Andrews against Lo Cicero will mean a lot of penalties to Racing Metro.

well Lo Cicero has been released to join Italy training camp, same for Nallet . Hernadez, vakatawa injured as well.

15 Imhoff
14 bobo
13 Steyn
12 Estebanez
11 Chavancy (?)
10 Wisniewski
9 descons
8 Cronje
7 Battut
6 Leo'o
5 Van der Merwe
4 Ghezal
3 Sa
2 Noirot
1 Tuughala

Doesn't matter who Andrews is playing against hes still going to give away penalties

Pretty strong Racing Metro side but you would think the Blues can edge this one.

Andrews was playing well and I thought he should have started last week

Although, off the bench his scrummaging did look poor (whereas he did well against Healy against Leinster)


10. Parks
12. Evans

Oh dear....no TBP then

10. Sweeney
12. Henson

would have been my selection or this match, with Halfpenny kicking.


Tom James is being messed about by the comedy double act B&B, he should have started last week, but didnt even make the bench - now he makes the bench over Mustoe despite not playing. Stupid decision

Henson
Tom James
Daffydd Hewitt

Have all been messed about by the management, whereas Gavin Evans is clearly their best mate, he has been selected ahead of all the above player (YES! - On the wing over T.James!)

Please please please get some new coaches next season.


Henson not starting is one of the stupidest coaching decisions I have ever seen (following on from not selecting Hewitt for about 5 games and playing Evans instead, and playing Evans on the wing over James)

Wait...im seeing a pattern here.

Hewitt hasn't been selected "for about 5 games" because he is injured!! Tom James has also been struggling with niggles!!

PackaPunch wrote:Hewitt hasn't been selected "for about 5 games" because he is injured!! Tom James has also been struggling with niggles!!

Im talking about before he was injured - Back before the HC games

T.James hasnt been on the injury list for the HC games he hasnt played, including last week.

Racing, as they are out of the HEC, I reckon will be looking for a performance against Cardiff Blues rather than a win in preparation for their Top14 clashes with the French big boys in the coming weeks.
I have little doubt Cardiff will win, but the bonus point could be a problem as our attacking game is pants since Parks looks to kick all the time (which he is very good at).
Therefore a QF is in the bag for me. Home or away though? Well we romped our way to the Amlin away from home, so does it matter?

Dave,

If I am right then I think a win, even without a BP will at worst put through as 4th best seed which means a home quarter anyway

Bedford,

I'm afraid that a BP-less win, along with either:
i) a BP win for Edinburgh;
ii) wins for Leinster, Munster, Ulster & Saracens; or
iii) BP win for Clermont, and wins for Leinster, Munster and Saracens;
would see Cardiff drawn away.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Dave,

If I am right then I think a win, even without a BP will at worst put through as 4th best seed which means a home quarter anyway

2nd placed teams are always away in the 1/4s no matter what points they score.

A win and Edinburgh not getting a TBP would probably give us a home 1/4, as Toulouse have ruined there chance and I think Clermont will beat Ulster - So the Blues will be in the top 4 somewhere with Leinster, Munster and Saracens.