Biggest Game for Five Years? EDF Semi.

By Peter Jenkins
March 23 2007

The teams were announced earlier this week and with the game tomorrow i look at the team selections and try to decipher them. Cardiff welcome Bradley Davies back from injury on to the bench, but neither Andy Powell or Robin Sowden-Taylor make onto the bench for this crunch match.

A little bit of a surprise in both teams adds a little extra spice to the contest, for the Blues, Tom James, with Tom Shaklin playing at center, is preferred to the consistently outstanding Marc Stcherbina in the team, elsewhere the team is strong. With only Gethin Jenkins missing, with a shoulder injury picked up playing for Wales against England, from what most would consider the first XV. John Yapp is also a long term absentee. So tight head in training Taufa’ao Filise moves back to the loose head, a position he is has played a great deal of his rugby at.

 

 

For the Ospreys Steve Tandy and Richie Pugh miss out as Lynn Jones goes for a bulky back row. Jones’ decision seems a little harsh on Tandy who has had a good season for the Ospreys and on Pugh who was once considered the next ‘Martyn Williams’. Pugh has consistently performed against Cardiff in the past, seemingly making it his personal mission to harass the half backs and Nicky Robinson in particular. Doing this with some success. The decision seems to me to be motivated by the performance of ageing back rower Filogia Tiatia in the second half at Cardiff Arms Park in the Magners League just prior to Christmas. He was the best player on the pitch in that game, carrying the ball successfully and providing a real threat as Cardiff looked to protect their lead.

 

 

The teams seem to suggest that the Cardiff Blues are going to try to play a fast open expansive game with the Ospreys keeping it a lot tighter. The referee is Wayne Barnes, having only come across him once or twice I am unsure of his refereeing style so am unsure which team it will suit. Lets just hope any fireworks involve good rugby and certainly not taps on the head eh!

 

 

Teams:

 

Cardiff Blues:

 

15. Ben Blair; 14. Tom James, 13. Jamie Robinson, 12. Tom Shanklin, 11. Chris Czekaj; 10. Nicky Robinson, 9. Mike Phillips; 1. Taufa'ao Filise 2. Rhys Thomas, 3. Gary Powell, 4. Deiniol Jones 5. Robert Sidoli, 6. Scott Morgan, 7. Martyn Williams, 8. Xavier Rush (capt).

 

Replacements:

16. Scott Roberts, 17. Gareth Williams, 18. Bradley Davies, 19. Mark Lewis, 20. Wayne Evans, 21. Nick Macleod, 22. Marc Stcherbina.

 

The Ospreys:

 

15 Lee Byrne 14 Shane Williams 13 Sonny Parker 12 Andrew Bishop 11 Nikki Walker 10 James Hook 9 Justin Marshall 1 Duncan Jones (captain) 2 Huw Bennett 3 Adam Jones 4 Brent Cockbain 5 Alun Wyn-Jones 6 Ryan Jones 7 Jonathan Thomas 8 Filogia Tiatia

 

Replacmets:

16 Barry Williams 17 Paul James 18 Andrew Lloyd 19 Richard Pugh 20 Shaun Connor 21 Jason Spice 22 Stefan Terblanche