Blues Team for Rematch

Jonah Lomu
By Andrew Collins
December 14 2005

As expected, the near sell out Arms Park will witness the home debut of Jonah Lomu for the Cradiff Blues. Following his return to world rugby last week, the giant Kiwi starts on the wing for the Blues in a must-be 5-pointer.

Lomu wears 11 again, however his wing partner, Chris Czekaj is dropped from the squad. No announcement has been made about why, and so following his great performance and try last week, Craig Morgans inclusion suggests a weaker side.

Jamie Robinson returns to the starting line-up replacing Tristan Davies. Marc Stchebina plays 12, with Robinson looking to assure his status at 13 following the attempted recruitment of Matthew Watkins. Davies occupied the bench.

In the forwards, John Yapp is dropped from the squad as Gethin Jenkins makes his first start of the season.

Elsewhere remains the same from the side who somehow got 5 points last week.

So the long wait is over, and Lomu will make his Blues debut this Saturday at a near, if not sell out, Arms Park. Having featured very little in Northern Italy, Jonah will be looking to build on his perfomance and maybe grab a try as he looks to re-invent himself.

There's alot of work to do if Lomu is to make any sort of comeback, but with the Blues giving him that chance, he'll be keen toreturn teh favour.

Cardiff have a real chance to qualify from this grup, and will be eager to impress the 1-time ticket buyers into returning to see rugby in Cardiff. With Leeds shock win last week,  the group has been thrown wide open. Perpignan will look to get all 5 points this weekend as they hope to qualify, but Leeds will do well to not conceed 4 tries.

Whatever the result, Cardiff fans will be wishing for a draw or only 4 points with neither side getting anything extra from the game.

The Blues currently lie joint top of the group, with the Fench side, but Perpignan still have to come to Cardiff in a match that may well decide the group, with an away trip to Leeds the following week also key in qualification.