Cardiff eye Racing scalp after derby disappointment

Cardiff aim to bounce back from derby disappointment by securing a spot in the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup with victory against Racing 92.

The Blue and Blacks head into Saturday's fixture with the French heavyweights after suffering United Rugby Championship (URC) defeats by Scarlets and Ospreys either side of a tense win against Dragons.

They have dropped to fourth in the table, but are still in good shape for the play-offs and will hope to keep fighting on two fronts.

Corniel van Zyl's side started the Challenge Cup with a defeat in Paris by Stade Francais before a last-kick win against Ulster boosted their hopes of the last 16.

They will qualify with a round to spare if they beat Racing and then Ulster overcome South African side Cheetahs in Amsterdam on Sunday.

Cardiff intend to channel their derby frustration to claim a French scalp and give a boost to their hopes of a return to Bilbao, where they won the Challenge Cup for the second time in 2018.

Wales flanker Alex Mann said: "Nothing is ever going to go the way we want all of the time, it's how we react to that now.

"That's the biggest challenge for us and there's nothing better than having Racing here on a Saturday afternoon.

"They're a historic club with some excellent players, so it's perfect for us to go out and show what we can do.

"These occasions at the Arms Park are the ones you want to play in, it's nothing but excitement from us."

Van Zyl freshens up his side for Europe with eight changes to the XV that lost 33-22 at Ospreys, when a late charge earned a consolation four-try bonus.

Locks Rory Thornton and George Nott come into the pack along with back-row forward Taine Basham, who makes a first appearance since the round one trip to Stade Francais.

Scrum-half Aled Davies, centre Cornel Smit, wings Iwan Stephens and Tom Bowen and full-back Jacob Beetham get the nod in the backs.

Wales prop Corey Domachowski and utility back Rory Jennings are poised for their returns from injury off the bench.

Racing's priority is climbing from 11th in the Top 14 table, but Van Zyl is braced for a stern challenge from a formidable side that features the likes of Geronimo Prisciantelli, Demba Bamba, Junior Kpoku and captain Jordan Joseph.

"They have big, physical players," he said. "They play a typical French style - physical, strong at scrum and maul and then playing off unstructured situations."

Cardiff: Beetham; Stephens, Smit, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, A Davies; Barratt, Belcher (capt), Assirattin, Nott, Thornton, Mann, Basham, Lawrence.

Replacements: D Hughes, Domachowski, Sebastian, McNally, Botham, Bevan, Jennings, Millard.

Racing 92: Prisciantelli; Ravutaumada, James, Ashvetia, Donguy; Gibert, Carbonneau; Njocke, Leota, Bamba, Kpoku, Joseph (capt), Baudonne, Zinzen, Dayimani.

Replacements: Tarrit, Julien, Kharaishvili, Taofifenua, Albuisson, Tagitagivalu, Labarbe, Espeut.

Referee: Sara Cox (Eng)

Assistants: Harry Walbaum (Eng), Jamie Parr (Eng)

TMO: Peter Allan (Sco)