Ulster hope to give Rush an early taste

XAVIER RUSH is keen to show his new employers that it will be money well spent when the Kiwi packs down for his 100th competitive game for the Blues when they take on Ulster in the Magners League at the Cardiff City Stadium tonight.

The 32-year-old former All Black number eight is due to link up with Ulster next season on a two-year deal, and he says it will feel strange running out to face them.

“It’s going to be a bit of different occasion for me playing against Ulster, that’s for sure,” said Rush, who has been with Cardiff for five seasons.

“It’s not often you end up playing against a team you’ll be playing for the following season. That will not stop me from playing my best. I have to prove something.”

That will be the challenge thrown down to Ulster skipper Chris Henry who will be in direct competition for a starting position next season.

“Well, the whole Cardiff back-row is a challenge. They are all tremendous ball-carriers, with Xavier a real class act,” said Henry.

He will have Stephen Ferris and David Pollock alongside him in the back row, while Rory Best is also included in the starting line-up.

“It’s something I’m personally looking forward to. It’s a challenge for all of our back-row, but it’s good to have Stephen back. That should help us enormously.”

With Isaac Boss unavailable, Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has been forced to play Paul Marshall at scrum-half with young Ireland U20 pivot Michael Heaney on the bench.

Marshall, who has a few starts this season, will be partnered by Niall O’Connor at half-back with Andrew Trimble and Paddy Wallace along with Scotland’s Simon Danielli in the three-quarters.

All told, McLaughlin makes six changes from that defeat to the Scarlets last time out with Dan Tuohy edging out Ed O’Donoghue at lock and Tom Court returning at loose-head.

“It’s a big challenge at Cardiff, especially after the very disappointing display up at Scarlets. We’re really looking forward to getting ourselves back on track and getting ourselves moving in the right direction.

“The team all sat down last Friday, which was the first time we were all back together after the internationals although we were missing Paddy, Rory and Stephen.

“We had a good chat about the Scarlets game, there were a few home truths, there’s no doubt about that. After that hopefully we’ll see a much more focused and more determined performance this week.

“We’re looking forward to getting out here in Cardiff and showing how good a team we really are.”

Like Ulster, Cardiff have chosen their Six Nations stars with Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Richie Rees, Tom James and Martyn Williams along with the disgraced Andy Powell in the back-row.

CARDIFF BLUES: Blair; Halfpenny, Laulala, Shanklin, James; Sweeney, Rees; Jenkins, Thomas, Filise, Morgan, Tito, Powell, Williams, Rush.

Replacements: Williams, Andrews, Pretorius, Molitika, Cooper, Knight/ Flanagan, Hewitt.

ULSTER: Smith, Trimble, Cave, Wallace, Danielli, O’Connor, Marshall, Court, Best, Botha, Tuohy, Caldwell, Ferris, Pollock, Henry (capt).

Replacements: Brady, Fitzpatrick, O’Donoghue, Diack, Heaney, Humphreys, Nagusa.