Stade Francais v Cardiff: Teams
Cardiff Blues fly-half half Nick Robinson returns to action for this Sunday's Heineken Cup match against Stade Francais at the Stade Jean Bouin.
Last Updated: 07/12/07 8:42pm
Nick Robinson returns to action for Cardiff Blues as they travel to Stade Jean Bouin to face Stade Francais on Sunday.
Fly-half Robinson is back for Cardiff Blues after missing over a month of action due to a hip flexor muscle injury he suffered in the EDF Energy Cup match against Leicester.
After a bonus point win against Bristol at the Arms Park and drawing with Harlequins at The Stoop, the Blues are currently top of Pool 3 on seven points, two ahead of Stade Francais.
With Jason Spice preferred to Richie Rees at scrum-half it is a half-back pairing the Blues have not played with for nearly six weeks, although the back-line in general is strong.
Ben Blair retains his place at full-back while Jamie Robinson and Gareth Thomas complete an all international centre partnership.
Youth is the flavour of the day on the wings where Jamie Roberts and Tom James are the preferred options.
In the pack Martyn Williams returns at openside, having missed last week's win over Bath due to Barbarian commitments, and is joined in the back row by Maama Molitika and captain Xavier Rush.
Stade Français are to give late fitness tests to centre Brian Liebenberg and flanker Antoine Burban, as well as replacement hooker Pedro Ledesma.
David Skrela will be promoted to the starting XV if Liebenberg is ruled out, while Theunis du Plooy is on stand-by to move up from the bench for Burban.
Damien Weber is set to take Ledesma's place on the bench if the Argentinean is unfit.
Stade Français: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Julien Saubade, 13 Geoffroy Messina, 12 Brian Liebenberg, 11 Julien Arias, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Jérôme Fillol; 1 Rodrigo Roncero, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski (c), 3 Pieter de Villiers, 4 Cliff Milton, 5 Pascal Pape, 6 Antoine Burban, 7 Rémy Martin, 8 Simon Taylor
Replacements: 16 Mathieu Blin, 17 Franck Montanella, 18 Pedro Ledesma, 19 Arnaud Marchois, 20 Alexandre Albouy, 21 David Skrela, 22 Stéphane Glas
Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Jamie Roberts, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Gareth Thomas, 11 Tom James; 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Jason Spice; 1 Gethin Jenkins, 2 Gareth Williams, 3 Gary Powell, 4 Deiniol Jones, 5 Paul Tito, 6 Maama Molitika, 7 Martyn Williams, 8 Xavier Rush (c)
Replacements: 16 Taufa'ao Filise, 17 T Rhys Thomas, 18 John Yapp, 19 Scott Morgan, 20 Andy Powell, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Tom Shanklin