| The injury was picked up in the Blues' win over Ulster last Friday and speaking on Thursday morning Powell said, "Naturally I'm disappointed to miss out on tommorow night's game. I've been happy with my form since returning from injury. It's the left shoulder that I've picked up the injury on, not the one that I had surgery on earlier in the season. We think it's not too serious just an impingement in the muscle that gives a sharp pain. I've been advised to rest for this game but hopefully I should be in contention for the Dragons match on Tuesday."
The injury forces Powell out of the Borders game and sees Xavier Rush, coming off the bench to play at Number 8 with Mark Lewis moving to blindside flanker. Rhys Shellard moves up to the bench.
The blue now have a team showing 8 changes from the team that defeated Ulster last Friday.
In the forwards Robin-Sowden Taylor, Deiniol Jones, Scott Morgan and Gary Powell all return to the starting line up. Gary Powell comes in for Taufa'ao Filise who broke a bone in his hand in the win against Ulster.
Filise will be out for the rest of the season. Scott Morgan will play in second row as he did in the home win against Borders in January. Rob Sidoli is recovering from a rib injury but should be in contention for the Dragons match next week.
In the backs Ed Fairhurst, Nicky Robinson, Tom Shanklin and Mosese Luveitasau all start with Nick Macleod moving to full back. With big games against Welsh rivals the Dragons and the Scarlets next week Ben Blair, Marc Stcherbina, Chris Caekaj and Mike Phillips are all rested.
15 Nick Macleod
14 Rhys Williams
13 Jamie Robinson
12 Tom Shanklin
11 Mosese Luveitasau
10 Nicky Robinson
9 Ed Fairhurst
8 Xavier Rush (c)
7 Robin Sowden-Taylor
6 Mark Lewis
5 Scott Morgan
4 Deiniol Jones
3 Gary Powell
2 T Rhys Thomas
1 Gethin Jenkins
16 Scott Roberts
17 Gareth Williams
18 Bradley Davies
19 Rhys Shellard
20 Mike Phillips
21 Dafydd Hewitt
22 Tom Riley
|
