ULSTER V CARDIFF BLUES:LEIGH HALFPENNY, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Andy Powell, Martyn Williams and Gethin Jenkins have all been selected for the Lions tour this summer but none of them will be on show for Cardiff at Ravenhill tonight.
The Heineken Cup semi-finalists, with a view to next week’s game against Leicester, arrive with a shadow side although with 10 international players on view several will be looking to stake a claim for a start in next week’s European showdown.
Cardiff have also brought in some young blood with Blues Academy member and Wales Under-20 player James Loxton making his debut at fullback.
An unchanged Ulster pack from the one that narrowly beat Glasgow at Firhill last week will be waiting.
Coach Matt Williams has made one change in the backs, with centre Darren Cave starting in the outside position with Paddy Wallace as partner.
Niall O’Connor slots in at out-half, while academy player Ian Whitten takes to the bench for Ulster’s final Magners League home game of the season.
A 50-12 demolition of Gloucester in the Anglo-Welsh cup showed the full potential of Cardiff. But with fewer heavyweights in the mix, Ulster have a chance to improve their league standing.
ULSTER: C Schifcofske, S Danielli, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble, N O’Connor, P Marshall B Young, R Best (c), B Botha, C Del Fava, R Caldwell, S Ferris, David Pollock, R Diack. Replacements: Nigel Brady, T Court, M McCullough, C Henry, I Boss, I Whitten, I Humphreys.
CARDIFF BLUES: J Loxton; R Mustoe, J Robinson, G Thomas, C Czekai; C Sweeney, R Rees; R Gill, T Thomas, J Yapp, D Jones, S Morgan, S Warburton, R Sowden Taylor (c), A Powell. Replacements: S Andrews, J Down, B White, D Allinson, D Flanagan, R Howells.
Referee: N Owens (Wales).
Verdict: Cardiff win.
