Casey starts for Blues
Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Casey starts for Blues
By Andrew Collins
April 9 2010
Casey Laulala has been declared fit ahead of the Cardiff Blues Amlin Challenge Quarter Final against Newcastle, although there are several glaring omissions...
Casey starts for Blues
April 9 2010
Casey Laulala has been declared fit ahead of the Cardiff Blues Amlin Challenge Quarter Final against Newcastle, although there are several glaring omissions...
Laulala has arguably been the Blues best player this season, despite only arriving in November, the centre's been improving with every game, culminating in a man of the match performance at Ravenhill last Saturday. The Kiwi suffered a minor cheek injury in the victory over Ulster last weekend, but has been named despite fears he would miss the match.
However, Andy Powell, Sam Warburton and Andries Pretorius are all omissions from Dai Young's squad, which features no back row cover.
Up front, Dai keeps faith with the same front row which won at Ulster, Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas and Tao' Felise will face an interesting battle against Newcastle and in particular, Carl Haymen.
In the second row, captain Paul Tito is dropped in the bench in a surprise move, although Bradley Davies takes his spot alongside Deiniol Jones. Martyn Williams comes in for Warburton at 7, while Xavier Rush and Maama Molitika accompany him in a powerful back row.
Ritchie Rees starts at nine, with Gareth Cooper the latest long term injury casualty - he's set to miss the remainder of the season as is Tom Shanklin - Darren Allinson is cover on the bench.
Ceri Sweeney resumes at stand off, the former Celtic Warriors and Dragons man has been is good form since taking over from Sam Norton-Knight, but knows he must step up his game even more if they Blues are to have any real chance of lifting the lower tier European Cup.
Jamie Roberts and Laulala make up an big midfield, an area probably targeted by Dai Young for some success. They'll be facing the southern hemisphere partnership of Bobo and Tu' ipulotu, but would fancy their chances of working some space there.
The wings remain the same for the Blues, Leigh Halfpenny and Tom James, but are rejoined by Ben Blair, absent last week as he awaited the birth of his third child.
Blues Team: 15 Ben Blair 14 Leigh Halfpenny 13 Casey Laulala 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Ceri Sweeney 9 Richie Rees, 8 Xavier Rush 7 Martyn Williams 6 Maama Molitika 5 Deiniol Jones 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa'au Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 Gethin Jenkins (c)
Replacements:16 Gareth Williams 17 John Yapp 18 Scott Andrews 19 Paul Tito 20 Darren Allinson 21 Dai Flanagan 22 Dafydd Hewitt
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Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: theArmsPark.co.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 10:56
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Re: Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: Spikey Mikey (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 11:02
Gret to see Casey playing and thats a decent looking 15.
Bit concerned at the fact there is still no Powell - makes the rumour of him going oop north (Wales) all the more concerning.
Bit concerned at the fact there is still no Powell - makes the rumour of him going oop north (Wales) all the more concerning.
Re: Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: BlueButtyBoy (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 11:34
The offical party line is that he has strain his calf and hamstring.
Re: Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: Spikey Mikey (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 11:40
Hope that is indeed the case.
Re: Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: ATTR (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 11:50
Best side that Cardiff has available.
This post is of course complete rubbish and has no basis in truth!
This post is of course complete rubbish and has no basis in truth!
Re: Classy Casey Gives Cardiff Boost
Posted by: amstel (IP Logged)
Date: 09/04/2010 13:43
Hope the boys are up for it, got a good feeling about this one.
