Wales’ European standard bearers Llanelli Scarlets will have their work cut out if they are to beat Northampton Saints.
Garteh Jenkins’ side take on the 2000 European champions at Stradey Park tonight.
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Italian side Calvisano will look for more success against Welsh opposition when they head to the Brewery Field to play the Celtic Warriors.
The Italians trumped Neath in last year’s competition, and with Lyn Howells’ men failing to fire in recent weeks, an upset is possible.
The Cardiff Blues travel to Sale on Saturday, while the Ospreys head to Leeds on Sunday and the Dragons host Ulster the same day.
Blues coach Dai Young is well aware of the danger the likes of England star Jason Robinson will pose at Edgeley Park.
“Sale are a quality side with players who can really hurt you. Apart from Robinson, they’ve got a solid pack and Charlie Hodgson is a very good young fly-half.”
After several months of ongoing injury woes, most of Young’s squad are fit and ready for a Heineken Cup campaign, although veteran centre Pieter Muller is out for another fortnight, while backrower Jim Brownrigg is recovering from a knee operation.
Meanwhile, Leeds Tykes coach Phil Davies is looking forward to going head-to-head with an old rival at Headingly.
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The former Wales international comes up against Ospreys coach Lyn Jones and is
looking forward to the challenge.
“Lyn and I go back to when we played together in the Welsh Youth team when we were about 16,” said Davies.
“He was a really good player – I played both with him and against him and he was a real rugby thinker. He was innovative and he enjoys the expansive style of football, and you can see he’s brought that to the Ospreys.”
Davies admits he sometimes has to pinch himself when he realises Leeds are in the Heineken Cup.
“We are honoured and almost humbled to be in this competition. But as long as we are as tenacious as ever – that is what we are famous for – then I think we can do well.”
Dragons coach Mike Ruddock has a simple plan for Heineken Cup success at Rodney Parade – stop David Humphreys.
Ruddock says the Ireland fly-half is the dangerman as the Dragons look to make their Cup debut as a region a winning one.
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“David Humphreys is a key player and just like with any team, if you can stop their best players from running things by cutting off quality ball to them, you can hopefully stop the team from playing,” said Ruddock, one of the front-runners for the Wales job next year.
Scotland No 8 Ross Beattie – recently returned from the World Cup – can’t wait to wear the Dragons jersey for the first time.
“I’m very excited about it,” he admitted. “I’ve really settled in well here. I can already see the difference since coming back from the World Cup to when I first arrived. The team spirit and the confidence has really grown.
“Regional rugby is fantastic for Welsh rugby – it brings all the best players together for a high level of competition. The most important thing is that it’s good for the national team.
Hopefully, everyone will now get behind the idea.”
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Teams:
Sale Sharks: V Going; M Cueto, B van Straaten, G Bond, J Robinson; C Hodgson, B
Redpath; A Sheridan, A Titterrell, B Stewart, I Fullarton, D Schofield, J
White, A Sanderson (capt), C Jones. Replacements: M Cairns, S Turner, C Day, M
Lund, C Mayor, J Baxendell, N Walshe.
Cardiff Blues: R Williams; T Shanklin, Jamie Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; I
Harris, R Powell; J Yapp, G Williams, D Crompton, C Quinnell, Andrew Moore, D
Baugh, M Williams, N Thomas. Replacements; B Evans, L Phillips, H Senekal, J
Brownrigg, Andy Moore, N Robinson, N Walne.
Referee: Joel Dume (France)
***
Leeds Tykes: D Albanese; D Rees, A Snyman, T Davies, P Christophers; G Ross, C
Stuart-Smith; M Shelley (capt), M Regan, G Powell, S Hooper, P Murphy, A Persico, J Ponton, A Popham. Replacements: M Cusack, M Holt, C Rigney, M Salter, R Walker, T Walsh, D Scarbrough.
Neath-Swansea Ospreys: A Durstan; S Terblanche, J Storey, D Tiueti, S Williams; S Connor, A Williams; P James, B Williams, A Jones, A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), J Thomas, N Bonner-Evans, G Thomas. Replacements: H Bennett, A Millward, L Tait, S Tandy, M Jones, S Gibbs, E Seveai’li.
Referee: Gregg Davies (Scotland)
***
The Dragons: P Montgomery; N Brew, H Luscombe, S Winn, B Breeze; L Jarvis, G
Baber; A Black, S Jones, C Anthony, I Gough, P Sidoli, J Ringer, J Forster (capt), R Beattie. Replacements: R Snow, P Young, M Owen, R Oakley, S Tuipulotu, A Marinos, G Arasa.
Ulster: B Cunningham; J Topping, R Constable, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys,
N Doak; R Kempson, M Sexton, S Best, R Frost, G Longwell, A Ward (capt), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements; P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, T McWhirter, K Campbell, A Larkin, S Stewart.
Referee: Roy Maybank (England)
