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.