Racing v Cardiff Blues: Teams
Cardiff Blues will be buoyed by the return of Wales skipper Sam Warburton for the tough Heineken Cup opener against Racing Metro.
Last Updated: 10/11/11 5:47pm
Cardiff Blues will be buoyed by the return of Wales skipper Sam Warburton for the tough Heineken Cup opener against Racing Metro.
The 23-year-old Warburton is free to play again after serving a three-week ban for his tip-tackle in the World Cup semi-final defeat to France.
Fellow internationals Jamie Roberts, Lloyd Williams, Bradley Davis and Gethin Jenkins also return for their first appearances following the World Cup.
However the Blues will be minus the services of Leigh Halfpenny (foot), Gavin Henson, (wrist), Martyn Williams (wrist) and Deiniol Jones (shoulder).
Racing Metro will be without Francois Steyn and Sebastian Chabal for the visit of the Welshmen.
The duo are both ruled out through injury, however the big-spending Parisians still have a wealth of talent to choose from.
Juan Martin Hernandez, who missed the World Cup through injury, will continue his rehabilitation at fly-half - with fellow Argentinean Juan Imhoff named on the wing.
France lock Lionel Nallet has to settle for a place on the bench following his return from the World Cup
Racing Metro: 15 Gaetan Germain, 14 Sereli Bobo, 13 Henry Chavancy, 12 Fabrice Estebanez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Mathieu Loree, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero, 2 Benjamin Noirot, 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 4 Karim Ghezal, 5 Jone Qovu Nailiko, 6 John Leo'o, 7 Antoine Batut, 8 Jacques Cronje.
Replacements: 16 Thomas Bianchin, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Johannes Coetzee, 19 Lionel Nallet, 20 Nicolas Durand, 21 Jonathan Wisniewski, 22 Virimi Vakatawa, 23 Remi Vaquin.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Chris Czekaj, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tom James, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Lloyd Williams, 1 Gethin Jenkins, 2 T Rhys Thomas, 3 Tau Filise, 4 Bradley Davies, 5 James Down, 6 Michael Paterson, 7 Sam Warburton, 8 Xavier Rush.
Replacements: 16 Marc Breeze, 17 John Yapp, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Paul Tito, 20 Andries Pretorius, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Ceri Sweeney, 23 Gavin Evans.