Blues pick team to face Racing Metro

Cardiff Blues travel to Paris on Friday to face a star studded Racing Metro side. The rugby season is set to explode into life across Europe as the 17th Heineken Cup takes centre stage with all roads leading to the final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 19 May, 2012.

The Blues open their campaign against Racing Metro on Friday 11 November, 9pm kick off local time, at Stade Colombes, the match is shown on the red button on Sky Sports.

With the match against Dragons being postponed last Friday night, the Blues had to change their preparation this week. Speaking ahead of the trip to France, Cardiff Blues forwards coach Justin Burnell said,

"Due to the cancelled game, on Monday morning we had two XV's playing against each other, which was interesting."

"It was an eye opener with the XV that was due to play against the Dragons playing against another XV."

"There was some good match up's so selection has been very difficult."

"Obviously having the game against Dragons postponed wasn't ideal."

"A lot of players have performed fantastically for us during the opening of the PRO12 so it would have been good to mix them with the World Cup players."

"The Welsh players have come back from a very successful campaign and they showed they are some of the best players in the world."

"Physically and mentally they are ready for the Heineken Cup."

Looking at the strength of the Racing Metro side Burnell added,

"When you play a French team first up, on their own patch, it is perhaps the most difficult game of the pool."

"However, we have got the mindset that we have to perform and win the game."

"They are typically French, in so much as they have good set piece, strong scrum, one second row doesn't jump and is 120kilos and an outstanding kicking outside half."

"It will be a massive physical battle, that's what we're planning for and working towards."

Cardiff Blues
15 Chris Czekaj 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Lloyd Williams

8 Xavier Rush 7 Sam Warburton 6 Michael Paterson 5 James Down 4 Bradley Davies 3 Taufa'ao Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 Gethin Jenkins

16 Marc Breeze 17 John Yapp 18 Scott Andrews 19 Paul Tito 20 Andries Pretorius 21 Richie Rees 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gavin Evans

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Probably the strongest team we could put out and the closed doors game was a good idea to get our players some preparation time. Glad to see Lloyd Williams start and Pretorious back from injury on the bench. RM92 are missing a few players but this is going to be a hard match to win, so we need to get out of the blocks early and take control. Take the wind out of their sails early and we have a chance.

Is Halfpenny injured?

mckay,

Sure I read he had a little op post WC but not sure. I wonder why they didn't open the gates for this 'proabales v possible' game.

Quite a strong side though that back 3 doesn't really strike fear - even though Cuthbert looks quite promising. Interesting and good to see Down chosen over Tito

Probably didn't open the gates as it was too last minute and they probably would have only got a few hundred fans so didn't see the point - would have been interesting to see though

mckay1402 wrote:Is Halfpenny injured?

Yeah, out for a few weeks. Had surgery to remove the pin in his foot which allowed him to play at the world cup.

Interesting that Downs has been selected over Tito (I think its the right decision, although he may be replaced by Paterson when Pretorious is back starting - we need him to run the lineout)

Very glad to see L.Williams starting.

Probably the best team we can select, hopefully Pretorious will get a half, either at 6 or 8.

Back 3 isnt that bad, all 3 are proven try scorers, still, I cant wait to see Halfpenny at 15 (and Henson at 10?)

Centres will be very strong if they maintain their recent form.

I'm not too sure about James being a proven try scorer - he always seems to make the wrong decision and go away from support meaning the chance disappears.

Well, James is our top try scorer but in recent times he seems to have gone off the boil a little bit. Won't be long until Harry Robinson is brought in, i reckon.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'm not too sure about James being a proven try scorer - he always seems to make the wrong decision and go away from support meaning the chance disappears.

Tom James is the Blues top try scorer of all time? I think that makes him a pretty good finisher...

gcBlues wrote:Well, James is our top try scorer but in recent times he seems to have gone off the boil a little bit. Won't be long until Harry Robinson is brought in, i reckon.

Dont know about that, Tom James has been playing well so far this season - as has Czekaj and Cuthbert, just a pity they rarely seem to get the ball (Parks, Sweeney, the Forwards im looking at you)

The only weak points in that team are at ten and fifteen though both Cezkaj and Parks have good days.

Let's hope the blues can pull themselves together for a good season.

Racing Metro: Gaetan Germain; Sereli Bobo, Henry Chavancy, Fabrice Estebanez, Juan Imhoff; Juan Martin Hernandez, Mathieu Loree; Andrea Lo Cicero, Benjamin Noirot, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Karim Ghezal, Jone Qovu Nailiko, John Leo'o, Antoine Batut, Jacques Cronje (capt).


Dan Parks vs Juan Martin Hernandez

Interesting to see that TRThomas is captain rather than Gethin or Warburton.

that is a strange decision - the only explaination is that they think Geth and Sam will be away with Wales for a lot of the season, and maybe that they've just come back into the team - still it's very strange that the Welsh captain who did really well won't be captaining his region

Smirnoffpriest wrote:that is a strange decision - the only explaination is that they think Geth and Sam will be away with Wales for a lot of the season, and maybe that they've just come back into the team - still it's very strange that the Welsh captain who did really well won't be captaining his region

The Blues do seem to like having a captain who will be their all season (unlike the other 3 regions), TRThomas, Tito and Rush are there all season. Although Gethin was captain quite a lot last season.

Personally I would like to see Warburton given the captaincy now (especially with Tito dropped), with TRThomas (or perhaps Pretorious?) replacing him when he is away with Wales.

Good to see Warburton and co back and pretorius on the bench
This could go either way..

J_D wrote:Good to see Warburton and co back and pretorius on the bench
This could go either way..

If the Blues win away in Paris it would be a huge boost, the group would be theirs to lose afterwards, especially with LI at home the week after - If we win our first 2 games then we should make the 1/2s, as we will have inflicked a home loss on our biggest rival Racing and stopped LI getting an important away win.

If we win out in paris, we'll win the group.

We've got something like an 8 match run over Edinburgh and while London Irish are no mugs, i don't think they're the strongest team from the Jeff in the HEC

THe blues have some great players this season and I agree an away win now would set them up, barring them doing something stupid later in the pool or suffering from a mass of injuries. But like nearly all the Welsh regions they have a big and capable squad.

Anyone know where this is on TV?

red button on Sky Sports

anyone got a link online? pm me if you have please

mckay1402 wrote:anyone got a link online? pm me if you have please

maestegmafia wrote:Anyone know where this is on TV?

check inbox

you are awesome

3 - 0 to Metro apparently

Blues try

6-0 to racing

Foolish by Racing - excellent by Filise.

Blues attack looks good, thought Tito would have been over 2 minutes ago.

6 - 7 to the Blues

6-7 filise scored parks converted... good pressure by blues

maestegmafia wrote:6-0 to racing

Bit behind?

AlynDavies wrote:

mckay1402 wrote:anyone got a link online? pm me if you have please

maestegmafia wrote:Anyone know where this is on TV?

check inbox

Cheers AD, you are a gent

Gavin Evans is on - who's off???!!! - Its bad news whoever it is, we dont want to lose Roberts or Laulaula

It is Roberts

evans doesn't come close to roberts - big loss. It's a shame though as Evans looked very promising at the Scarlets - must regret going with the money now...

9-10 to Blues

I had to change streams, so I'm watching a much better french version with bbc commentry off their website.

It was a serious injury...!

maestegmafia wrote:It was a serious injury...!

Yup it looked bad, just when he got back to good form as well
Any excuse not to play alongside Henson!

maesteg i gave u a better stream and bbc commentry via mail

Didnt see Roberts injury.

But he wouldnt have fallen off that tackle that Evans did - awful defence

14 - 10 and the Blues are back behind.

Blues forwards are lazy at the breakdown, I think we need a new forwards coach. No wonder Warburton doesnt look as good as he does for Wales, he has no support.

Wasted opportunity with a not straight lineout.

14-15 to the blues alex cuthbert try.

I think Cuthberts in there - Excellent counterattack by Czekaj - first class

Czekaj brilliant, Cuthbert superb in air finishing.

Racing 14 - 15 Cardiff

Conversion to come.

Cuthbert now have 4 tries in his first season.

I wouldnt bet against a Wales call up at this rate, he is looking excellent today.

14-17 dan park converts with 38 minutes gone.

Parks has his kicking boots on (for once) - 14 - 17

Both wingers are looking pretty dangerous. Very impressed with czekaj so far

wales606 wrote:Parks has his kicking boots on (for once) - 14 - 17

u sure he just missed a drop goal?!

Czekaj and T.James have also had strong starts to the season, wouldnt be suprised to see one or both get call-ups - especially with Shane and Byrne (probably) gone

Awful DG attempt, 3pt lead at halftime isnt great - but an away win would be huge, this Racing team dont look great though.

How bad does Roberts look? Stream's too poor and didn't show him in detail. Not as bad as Down surely!?

Blues don't look half bad, good value for their tries with the usual silly mistakes here and there.