Cardiff End 07

Ospreys Liberty Stadium
By Andrew Collins
December 30 2007

Cardiff Blues will hope to end 2007 on a high as they travel down the M4 to the Liberty Stadium to take on the big spending Ospreys. The Blues have won all 3 Welsh derby’s so far this term, whereas the O’s have won none.

Cardiff will be out to continue their great start to the 07/08 campaign and keep a push on top placed Leinster. The capitol side sit 2^nd behind the Irish province, but have tomorrows match in hand, and have just 1 point to catch up to.

The Ospreys on the other hand currently occupy 7^th, a massive 12 points behind their visitors, following their loss to Llanelli on the 27^th.

They do however welcome back the controversial and injury prone Gavin Henson. The centre cum fly half has been missing for 4 weeks, but has recovered in time for a starting role in Mondays match.

And there's good news for the Arms Park region as well, as they welcome back both Ben Blair and Deiniol Jones to the starting line ups following injury. Paul Tito escaped punishment after being sent off against the Dragons on Boxing Day, but is left out of the squad.

Elsewhere, Xavier Rush, Martyn Williams, Filise, Gareth Williams and Maama Molitika return as Dai Young continues to rotate his squad ahead of the European Cup matches in January.

The impressive, and potential man of the match winner, Darren Allinson doesn't quite break the starting XV as Ritchie Rees wins the number nine birth, accompanied by Nick Macleod, Tom Shanklin and Jamie Robinson. Gareth Thomas and Jamie Roberts make big wing options, wile the return of Blair at full back should relieve Macleod of kicking duties.

Jason Spice is still out with a hamstring injury, while Tom James has flu.

Dai Young said of last weeks dire win over the Dragons;

"I didn't enjoy it and I think it was a very poor standard. It was very hard to put any tempo to the game, the tackle area wasn't sorted out and people were allowed to kill the ball."

The fixture, which has become the fiercest of the Welsh derby matches, has extra spice again this year, as former Blues fan favorite, Mike Phillips, pulls on the black shirt of Ospreys aginst Cardiff for the first time. He starts on the bench, but expect to see the scrum half come on and receive a few big hits from his old team mates!

Cardiff Blues
Ben Blair, Gareth Thomas, Jamie Robinson, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Nic Macleod, Richie Rees, Xavier Rush (capt), Martyn Willams, Maama Molitika, Scott Morgan, Deiniol Jones, Taufa'ao Filise, Gareth Williams, Gethin Jenkins.

Gary Powell, T Rhys Thomas, Mark Lewis, Andy Powell, Darren Allinson, Rhys Jones, Dafydd Hewitt.

Ospreys
Lee Byrne, Nikki Walker, Gavin Henson (or Mark Taylor), Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams, James Hook, Justin Marshall, Ryan Jones (capt), Marty Holah, Filo Tiatia, Ian Evans, Ian Gough, Adam Jones, Huw Bennett, Paul James.

Richard Hibbard (or Ed Shervington), Duncan Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Mike Phillips, Shaun Connor, Mark Taylor (or Jonathan Vaughton).