Cardiff v Biarritz: Teams

At Cardiff Arms Park, Friday December 5, live on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm

Last updated: 6th December 2008  

Cardiff v Biarritz: Teams

Back in blue: Powell (left) and Halfpenney

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Cardiff Blues coach David Young has welcomed back his Welsh internationals for the Heineken Cup clash with Biarritz.

Wales internationals Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Andy Powell, Martyn Williams and Gethin Jenkins all return to the starting XV, with Robin Sowden Taylor and Tom James on the bench.

Meanwhile, Biarritz manager Laurent Rodriguez has swung his axe and made seven changes to his starting line-up after going down at home to Stade Français last weekend.

Biarritz have also suffered a late injury blow when Argentinean full-back Marcelo Bosch was forced to withdraw from the starting line-up after breaking down during the captain's run on Thursday.

Elsewhere in the back-line, Philippe Bidabe returns to the midfield to partner French international Damien Traille. Julien Peyrelongue and Fabien Cibray will form the half-back combination as first choice fly-half Valentin Courrent is injured. There is no place for French international scrum-half Dimitri Yachvilli.

In the pack, props Campbell Johnstone does not feature in the matchday squad and Benoit August drops to the bench in favour of Mosese Moala.

Cardiff: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Tom Shanklin, 11 Gareth Thomas, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Jason Spice, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Maama Molitika, 5 Paul Tito, 4 Deiniol Jones,3 Gary Powell, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Faao Filise, 17 Rhys Thomas, 18 Scott Morgan, 19 Robin Sowden-Taylor, 20 Darren Allinson, 21 Ceri Sweeney, 22 Tom James.

Biarritz: 15 Benjamin Thiery, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Philippe Bidabe, 12 Damien Traille, 11 Ilikena Bolakoro, 10 Julien Peyrelongue, 9 Fabien Cibray, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Mohammed Dridi, 6 Peïo Som, 5 Trevor Hall, 4 Jérôme Thion,3 Mosese Moala, 2 Benjamin Noirot, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Replacements: 16 Benoit August, 17 Eduard Coetzee, 18 César Damiani, 19 Wenceslas Lauret, 20 Romain Cabannes, 21 Jean-Baptiste Roidot, 22 Laurent Tranier.