Cardiff coach relishing ‘awesome occasion’ against all-conquering Leinster at Arms Park
Wales’ tour captain Ellis Jenkins will lead Cardiff Blues in tonight’s Guinness Pro14 opener as they welcome holders and European champions Leinster, who have left star stand-off Johnny Sexton at home.
The Irish province start the campaign as favourites but, as well as Sexton, will also be without Ireland internationals Sean O’brien, Dan Leavy, Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose, who are all recovering from injuries. Australia international Joe Tomane makes his debut in the centre.
Cardiff coach John Mulvihill is in no doubt that Leinster will present a formidable challenge at the Arms Park.
“It is a great way for us to kick-off the season – the European Challenge Cup champions against the Pro14 and Champions Cup winners,” he said. “It promises to be an awesome occasion in Cardiff and we cannot wait to get started.
“You have to play the best and it will be a massive challenge but if you saw the way these boys finished last season, they love a challenge and that will certainly be coming at us on Friday night.
“We’ve had two solid pre-season games without being outstanding so it’s about us learning from those two experiences and making sure we get things right on Friday. It’s good to get some of our more experienced players back and the boys have trained really well this week.”
Former Edinburgh wing Jason Harries makes his Blues debut from the start.
Cardiff’s late surge was not enough to secure a play-off spot last season and gaining a top-three spot in Conference A is the target for new boss Mulvihill, who replaces the now Scotland forwards coach Danny Wilson.
Mulvihill added: “Our bread and butter is the Pro14 and we didn’t make the finals last year.
“You have to be top three to make the play-offs and we want to play finals rugby in this competition so we need to start well.
“I could give you our threeyear plan or our five-year plan but we also have a one-week plan and if we keep looking at it that way round then we will get to where we want to be.”
In the opening night’s other match, the Southern Kings will be hoping that a beefed up recruitment push in the summer will help them put up a better fight in the Pro14 than their trying debut campaign as they open away at Zebre in Parma.
Kings coach Deon Davids said: “We’ve had some really good sessions despite the very warm and humid conditions being experienced in this part of the world at the moment.
“We are preparing for a very physical and high-tempo challenge from Zebre. They have lots of experience and play in front of a very passionate crowd but if we focus on ourselves then I believe we have what it takes to win.”
Meanwhile, stand-off Gavin Henson and scrum-halves Tavis Knoyle and Rhodri Davies will all have late fitness tests ahead of Dragons’ Pro14 opener with Benetton Rugby at Rodney Parade tomorrow.