No excuses for depleted Blues as eager Leinster lie in wait

ONE more injury or one more call-up to the Wales squad this week and Cardiff Blues would have found themselves travelling to Dublin for this evening’s RaboDirect Pro12 encounter without the services of a full starting 15.

Eight of the Welsh region’s best and brightest have been drafted into Warren Gatland’s squad for tomorrow’s test against Australia — Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton among them.

Turning the screw even more is the half-dozen in the casualty ward. Most notable in that group are Martyn Williams and Dan Parks, as well as Gavin Henson, who is hoping to make his latest return to rugby in next week’s Heineken Cup third-round tie against Edinburgh.

Not exactly the best of scenarios for a side taking on the European champions on foreign soil and in a city where they have won just once — in 2004, when they edged it 22-18 — since the inception of the professional game.

“It’s a massive game for us and we can’t use the excuse that our best players are off on international duty,” said Cardiff forwards coach Justin Burnell.

“We still have a massive responsibility to our supporters, sponsors, to the league and to ourselves. We’ve got Leinster, the number one team in Europe and a formidable force. We have a fantastic mindset and we are pulling in that right direction, so we are very excited about the game.”

The mindest Burnell speaks of has been established on the back of an encouraging campaign so far under Gareth Baber and himself who were only confirmed in their joint roles for the full season a few weeks ago.

Leinster too, will be operating at less than full strength thanks to the IRFU’s player welfare programme as Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip, Kevin McLaughlin and Devin Toner will all be wearing their civvies tonight.

Joe Schmidt has made nine changes to the side which brought a win back from Treviso last weekend. Eight are personnel alterations while Fergus McFadden switches from the wing back in to inside centre.

Cardiff have torn sides apart with some penetrative attacking rugby this season and come to Dublin on the back of four straight wins but they face a home team unbeaten in eight and with a fearsome bench that includes five Ireland internationals.

There is a definite sense of competition surrounding this Leinster panel and markers will be laid tonight ahead of the Heineken Cup visit to Bath next Sunday.

Among those looking to stand out will be flanker Shane Jennings who started on the bench for the Montpellier and Glasgow games in rounds one and two and the former Leicester Tiger knows he faces another fight to claim a starting berth at The Rec.

“I don’t think there is any rotation in Heineken Cup weeks,” he said.

“Joe [Schmidt] picks his best team that he wants to play and I’d like to be in that. That comes down to if I can perform well enough and if he feels I deserve a shot.

“There is a balancing act. Some of it is within his control and some is not, but that is what he has to do.”

Leinster: I Nacewa; D Kearney, E O’Malley, F McFadden, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, N White; L Cullen, S Sykes; R Ruddock, S Jennings, S O’Brien.

Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, M Ross, D Browne, L Auva’a, E Reddan, J Sexton, R Kearney.

Cardiff: C Czekaj; R Mustoe, C Laulala, G Evans, T James; C Sweeney, R Rees; J Yapp, R Tyrrell, T Filise; C Hill, P Tito; M Molitika, J Navidi, X Rush.

Replacements: M Breeze, N Trevett, S Hobbs, M Cook, M Paterson, L Jones, G Davies, D Hewitt.