Blues v Treviso: Teams
Cardiff Blues will step up their bid for a place in the Magners League play-off when they entertain Treviso on Thursday.
By Tony Curtis - Twitter: @SkySportsTC
Last Updated: 21/04/11 7:56am
Cardiff Blues will step up their bid for a place in the Magners League play-off when they entertain Treviso on Thursday.
The Blues are currently just outside the top-four, but they do have a game in hand on their rivals - with Leinster, Ulster, Scarlets and Ospreys also looking to join Munster in the end of season showdown.
The Blues toppled Connacht last time out and as a result director of rugby David Young has opted against making any changes to his line-up.
However Young knows the Italians, victors over Glasgow in their last match, will be no push overs.
"Treviso are a team that caused us bags of problems over in Italy so we know that this won't be an easy game for us," said Young.
Realistic
"If I'm being truthful and realistic it's a game that we should win and one we have to win.
"Hopefully we can get the result and then it tees up the two big Welsh derby matches to finish off the season. We know if we lose one game we are relying on other people, which obviously we don't want.
"I think we've wrestled the ascendancy back our way and if we win the three games we go through. It's in our own hands and that's all you can ask for at this stage of the season.
"No matter who you are playing, if it's in your own hands you've only got yourselves to blame if things don't go your way."
Despite their win over the Warriors, Treviso coach Franco Smith has decided to make 10 changes to his starting XV.
Joe Maddock, Tommaso Benvenuti, Ezio Galon, Alberto Sgarbi, Ludovico Nitoglia, Manoa Vosawai, Valerio Bernabò, Francesco Minto, Lorenzo Cittadini and Augusto Allori are all handed starts as Treviso look to develop their squad ahead of next season.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Chris Czekaj, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tom James, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Richie Rees, 8 Xavier Rush, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Ma'ama Molitika, 5 Paul Tito (c), 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 John Yapp.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Deiniol Jones, 20 Michael Paterson, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Ceri Sweeney, 23 Dafydd Hewitt.
Treviso: 15 Joe Maddock, 14 Tommaso Benvenuti, 13 Ezio Galon, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia, 10 Willem De Waal, 9 Fabio Semenzato, 8 Paul Derbyshire, 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Manoa Vosawai, 5 Valerio Bernabò, 4 Francesco Minto, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (c), 1 Augusto Allori.
Replacements: 16 Franco Sbaraglini, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet, 19 Benjamin Vermaak, 20 Robert Barbieri, 21 Simon Picone, 22 Andrew Vilk, 23 Luke McLean.
