Cardiff Blues coach Dai Young has decided to move Australian signing Sam Norton-Knight down to the replacements for Friday's Magners League trip to face Munster at Thomond Park.

Connacht 14 Cardiff Blues 19

AS THE gap widens between Connacht and those above them in the Magners League, every game is becoming more critical, and few more so than a home fixture against the Welsh team immediately above them.

Cardiff Blues will have to paddle their canoe without eight Wales internationals away to Connacht at The Sportsground on Friday (6.30pm).

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made 12 changes for the Millennium Stadium clash against Canada on Friday night.

Injury-hit Wales will face world champions South Africa and one of the most powerful back rows in Test rugby without a specialist open-side flanker.

Out-half Rhys Jones will make his first start for the Cardiff Blues when they take on Munster in the Magners League at The Arms Park this Saturday.

Former New Zealand internationals Xavier Rush and Ben Blair have agreed new three-year contracts with Cardiff Blues.

WASPS head coach Shaun Edwards has been appointed Wales’ defence coach on a part-time basis until January 2010.

Martyn Williams has made a shock return to international rugby and been named in the Wales squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S odds on being the British and Irish Lions coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa drifted further yesterday after an admission by Lions bosses that the coach may not be from the four home nations.

Gavin Henson will make his first Test start for more than a year when Wales tackle world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

Wales have suffered a double injury blow ahead of next Saturday’s clash against world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium.

Gavin Henson has been recalled by Wales to the preliminary squad for their one-off Test against world champions South Africa this month.

Gareth Thomas will lead Wales from full-back and veteran hooker Mefin Davies returns at hooker as the tourists look to level the Test series against Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.

IT took a late David Humphreys penalty to deny Leinster the Magners League title on the final lap last year but there was no need for drama in the Arms Park last night, where the Irish side’s ambitions disappeared long before the last act.

Cardiff Blues 27 Leinster 11

THERE are a few permutations to juggle with as the chase for the Magners League title takes the bell this weekend, but the bottom line is simple: win with a bonus point in Cardiff tonight and Leinster will be champions.

Gavin Henson has today been named in the Wales squad for their Test matches against Australia on May 26 and June 2.

LEICESTER are hurtling towards a Pool Four decider against European champions Munster in Limerick tomorrow week, but they cannot allow such an enticing prospect to overshadow their Welford Road appointment with Cardiff Blues this afternoon (3pm, Sky Sports).

IRISH international full back Geordan Murphy will consider a return to Ireland when his contract with Leicester Tigers expires.

DENIS HICKIE will make his first competitive start of the season in tonight’s Magners League against Cardiff Blues at Donnybrook.

If Leinster fail to overhaul Ulster at the top of the Celtic League table they will know where the title was lost — in Wales.

Cardiff 40 Leinster 31

New Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has named Ospreys prop Duncan Jones as captain of a youthful 28-man squad for this summer’s two-Test tour of Argentina.

Cardiff Blues 42 Border Reivers 11

Ospreys 9 Cardiff Blues 28

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has made 11 changes from the side mauled by New Zealand for Friday night’s Millennium Stadium clash against Fiji.

DECLAN Kidney has named a 27-strong squad from which the side will be selected for the Celtic League game against the Cardiff Blues at The Arms Park tomorrow (7.30pm).

Cardiff Blues 40 Leeds 13

All Black Xavier Rush and Lions openside Martyn Williams have been included in Cardiff's side to play Leinster at The RDS on Saturday.

Cardiff 20 Llanelli 16

Australian Andrew Farley will captain Connacht for the second year in a row this season.

Cardiff Blues 33 Borders 12

Cardiff Blues 22 Ulster 8

Cardiff Blues 30 Munster 20

INJURY-HIT Cardiff still hope to spring a Celtic League surprise on Munster at the Arms Park this evening (5.30).

Wales have ended one unwanted sequence with their heartening victory over England – and now they are intent on banishing their away-day blues too, starting against Italy in Rome.

Wales suffered an injury setback tonight when flanker Dafydd Jones was ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Italy in Rome.

Wales were tonight dealt a double injury setback ahead of their RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against England in Cardiff.

Borders 35 Cardiff Blues 25

Ulster 30 Cardiff Blues 14

Llanelli Scarlets 35 Cardiff Blues 20