Cardiff Blues to miss Welsh stars

Cardiff Blues will be without their Grand Slam heroes, as well as three other first team regulars, for their final Magners League game of the season.

Cardiff Blues will be without their Grand Slam heroes, as well as three other first team regulars, for their final Magners League game of the season.

Martyn Williams, Tom Shanklin and Gethin Jenkins will all miss the match against Ulster at Ravenhill on May 9 in order to begin preparations for the summer tour to South Africa. They are set to be joined by Jamie Roberts, Tom James and Deiniol Jones – all strong candidates for Wales' tour.

The Blues will travel to Ireland knowing they may need a win to ensure they finish second in the league, yet Director of Rugby Dai Young is only too happy to support the national cause.

“There is a talk about the Wales players going away to have a bit of a training week and not being involved in the last game,” he told The Western Mail.

“Obviously we'd have no problems supporting that.”

Despite these impending high-profile absentees, Young is determined to hold off the challenge of third-placed Munster and finish as runners-up for the second season in a row.

To do that, the Blues must look to win their last two fixtures – both on Irish soil, against Connacht and then Ulster.

“Finishing second is our focus, coupled with being the best-placed Welsh team,” said Young.

“Obviously we've got two difficult trips. Connacht showed what a dogged team they are against the Dragons on Friday and they are formidable at home.

“They always cause us problems over there, so we are not underestimating that, while Ravenhill is another tough place to go.”

The Blues will be looking to complete a rapid double over Ulster when they travel to Belfast, having beaten them 30-17 at the Arms Park on Saturday.

It was a classic tale of two halves for Young's men, who led 27-3 at half-time but then lost their way as the weather conditions deteriorated after the break.

“We were flying at half-time, but then we looked to try and push things and did a lot of silly passes, made a lot of mistakes, which gave them a bit of momentum and let them back into the game,” said the coach.

“But I don't want to be too critical of the second half.

“If you watch most games at this stage of the season, there's a lot of tired teams out there.”