They now take on an inform Ospreys side who are unbeaten at the Liberty Stadium since Glasgow Warriors were the visitors there in September.
The Ospreys are unbeaten in their last four fixtures with the Blues in all competitions but slipped up away to Edinburgh last Friday. The Blues only triumph on Ospreys soil since the regions were formed in 2003 was a 28-9 win at the Liberty Stadium in December 2005 and the capital city region will be looking to end this run on Friday.
Speaking ahead of the match, Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby Phil Davies said: “Since the start of the season we have got better week in week out but we have not had the rewards on the scoreboard, which is the most important thing, as obviously we want to win every game.
“We were very unlucky against Munster but had a good win against Wasps and played well against the Scarlets, where a little ill-discipline cost us the game.
“We did end that game with a bonus point meaning we finished the LV campaign joint top of the group, which is pleasing.”
Dan Fish and Tom James were both injured in last week’s game with Zebre. James is out for approximately six weeks with a broken bone in his foot while the Blues are awaiting scan results for Fish.
Rhys Patchell starts at full back instead of Fish.
“It was a really good game against Zebre last weekend,” added Davies.
“I thought we played very, very well and if we had been a bit more clinical we could have scored three or four more tries.
“We have said since the start of the season that we are in transition and we have a lot of young players coming through.
“What we have done over the last few months, although it has been painful at times with some of the results, is create some depth and given a lot of players opportunities.
“We have given opportunities to 12 or 14 players many of whom are under the age of 22.
“This is good for us and the sort of experience we are gaining with them will help us on Friday night.
“It will be the next generation of stars on show and hopefully it will be an excellent game.”
Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy is able to welcome back Samoa scrum half Kahn Fotuali’I for tonight’s clash with the Blues and he wants his team to bounce back from their defeat last weekend.
“It’s important that we show the right character and spirit after a disappointing second half showing in Edinburgh last weekend,” he said.
“We were extremely disappointed to come away with nothing and we know how crucial it us that we bounce back and put on the kind of performance that is expected from an Ospreys team this weekend.
“It’s a massive game, a local derby and a chance to see some great young Welsh talent on both sides going head to head, with some real quality older players thrown into the blend.
“I’m really looking forward to the game. When you look through the team sheet and see the quality of players that we have still available even when missing so many, it says a lot about the work we are doing here to bring through players.”
