Blues head coach David Young has made two changes to the team that defeated Newcastle Falcons for the match against the Scarlets on Saturday.
Second row forward, Paul Tito, returns to the starting line up with Bradley Davies dropping down to the bench. In the front row, Gareth Williams starts at hooker with Rhys Thomas also moving down to the bench.
Gethin Jenkins makes his 100th appearance for the Blues having joined the region in the summer of the 2004.
The Blues travel to Parc y Scarlets boosted by two big away wins, having recorded a 33-24 win over Ulster at Ravenhill in the Magners League and 55-20 win over Newcastle Falcons in the north east of England in the Amlin Cup. Even more impressively the Blues have also won their last five away encounters.
They will be buoyed by the fact they have beaten Scarlets twice already this season, 19-15 at Cardiff City Stadium in the Magners League and 38-23 at Parc y Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Blues talisman Martyn Williams reckons Cardiff Blues face their toughest game of the year when they take on Scarlets.
With Heineken Cup qualification on the line for both sides, Wales flanker Williams is braced for a fierce Welsh derby.
Williams said: “This will be the toughest game of the year for us because we don’t have a great record at Llanelli and because of what is at stake for the Scarlets.
“They know they will be out of the running for qualification if they lose and that will really drive them on.”
The Blues have won just one of their last seven games at the west Wales region but travel on the back of reaching the semi-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup with an emphatic 55-20 demolition of Newcastle Falcons.
Williams said: “We are going into the game on a high after a good performance against Newcastle. We played some good rugby, albeit against a pretty poor defence. But we will build on that confidence for a tough game.”
Scarlets Head Coach Nigel Davies has opted for a few changes to the team that started in Toulon and this week told his players to “stand up and be counted” after a disappointing display in the South of France.
British Lions and Wales international hooker Matthew Rees does not make the fitness race due to a minor neck injury, with Ken Owens starting for the Scarlets in the big derby.
Daniel Evans starts at full-back ahead of Rhys Priestland who is on the bench – the only change in the backs from last weekend’s team. Rhys Thomas starts at tighthead prop with Deacon Manu on the bench. Tavis Knoyle gets the scrum-half jersey and Josh Turnbull comes in at flanker with Rob McCusker on the bench.
Davies said: “We lacked urgency last weekend and will be putting that right for this game, Cardiff are playing some good rugby – they are scoring tries and showing the quality they have in their squad.
“We know we are going to have to defend well, they have some big ball carriers, who get them over the advantage line and give them good go forward ball, some very useful backs and key strike players that we’ll have to manage.”
Blues: 15 Ben Blair 14 Leigh Halfpenny 13 Casey Laulala 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Chris Czekaj 10 Ceri Sweeney 9 Richie Rees 8 Xavier Rush 7 Martyn Williams 6 Maama Molitika 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Deiniol Jones 3 Taufa’au Filise 2 Gareth Williams 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 T Rhys Thomas 17 John Yapp 18 Bradley Davies 19 Sam Warburton 20 Lloyd Williams 21 Dai Flanagan 22 Dafydd Hewitt
Scarlets: 15 Daniel Evans, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Regan King, 12 Jonathan Davies 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Rhys Thomas, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Dominic Day, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 Richie Pugh, 8 David Lyons (capt).
Replacements: 16 Deacon Manu, 17 Emyr Phillips, 18 Damian Welch 19 Rob McCusker, 20 Martin Roberts, 21 Rhys Priestland, 22 Lee Williams.
