Dai Young has somewhat controversially left out squad captain Paul Tito, and big money summer signing Sam Norton-Knight ahead of the Blues biggest game of the season so far. Ceri Sweeney starts his second consecutive match at outside half, with the Australian stand off on the bench, while Deiniol Jones and Bradley Davies have been chosen ahead of Tito in the boiler room.

Elsewhere, Andy Powell returns having been granted short term leave for family reasons, he starts in a fine back row alongside Martyn Williams and Xavier Rush.  Gethin Jenkins captains the team from prop, Gareth Williams and Tao' Felise make up the front row with Gary Powell on the bench.

In the backs, Ritchie Rees keeps out Gareth Cooper as he stakes a claim to make the Welsh 6 Nations squad against favourite Dwaine Peel.  He partners Sweeney, who has Casey Laulala and Jamie Roberts outside him.

Ben Blair resorts back to full back having missed the 20-12 loss to Edinburgh, with Leigh Halfpenny moving to the wing with Tom James keeping the 11 shirt.

Dai Young has stepped up the enormity of the match for his squad, following their controversial one point loss at Edgeley Park. He told BBC Sport,

"If we lose we're out. We have put ourselves under pressure and must get ourselves out of it. Last season was great but some people said we over-achieved and perhaps we did. But we certainly should be doing better than we are this year."

The Blues are still without Maama Molitika, who looks likely to miss the entire season, and John Yapp, another long-term injury casualty.

Cardiff Blues: Blair; Halfpenny, Laulala, Roberts, James, Sweeney, Rees, Jenkins (capt), G Williams, Filise, Davies, Jones, A Powell, M Williams, Rush. 
Replacements: Rhys Thomas, Hobbs, G Powell, Tito, White, Cooper, Norton Knight, Shanklin.

Sale Sharks: Macleod; Cueto, Tait, Thomas, Cohen; Hodgson, Peel; Roberts, Briggs, Halsall, Schofield, Gaskell, Fearns, Seymour, Koyamaibole.
Replacements: Kerr, M Jones, O'Donnell C Jones, Abraham, Wigglesworth, Kennedy, Doherty

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