RaboDirect Pro12 preview: Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh Rugby

Both sides enter the fifth round on the back of successive defeats, with the Scottish region suffering a 22-9 defeat to Scarlets on home soil last weekend, while the Blues have lost to Zebre and Leinster in recent weeks.

Ahead of Sunday's game, Blues Director of Rugby Phil Davies has named three changes to the sides which toiled in Ireland last time out.

Loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins makes his first appearance in the blue of Cardiff since his return from Toulon, having spent just one year in the Top 14, while lock Bradley Davies comes back into the starting XV having served his suspension.

Davies' solitary change in the backline sees rising star Cory Allen handed his first start after a try-scoring performance from the bench in Leinster last weekend.

Boosted

Edinburgh are boosted by the return of club captain Greig Laidlaw as they look to extend their fine record on Cardiff soil, having beaten the Blues 21-19 last term.

The scrum-half, who kicked the winning drop-goal in that narrow victory last season, has recovered from a knee injury which has kept him sidelined since the summer.

Jack Cuthbert takes the full-back berth in place of the injured Grieg Tonks; while lock Sean Cox and Argentinian debutant Tomas Leonardi join the Edbinburgh pack.

The Blues have lost five of their last six encounters with Edinburgh at Arms Park and have managed to record a bonus-point try only once against the Scottish opposition since 2009.

Both sides will be looking to head into the European break on a high as they turn attention to beginning their respective Heineken Cup campaigns next weekend.

Cardiff: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Owen Williams, 12 Cory Allen, 11 Harry Robinson, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Andries Pretorius, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Josh Navidi, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 2 Matthew Rees (capt), 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Scott Andrews, 18 Sam Hobbs, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Robin Copeland, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Dafydd Hewitt.

Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Joaquin Dominguez, 12 Ben Atiga, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Harry Leonard, 9 Greig Laidlaw (capt), 8 David Denton, 7 Tomas Leonardi, 6 Dimitri Basilaia, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Sean Cox, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Wicus Blaauw, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Cornell Du Preez, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Matt Scott, 23 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.