BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | European | Cardiff pace themselves

Cardiff's Heineken Cup campaign has a familiar feel about it ahead of their opening match at home to Biarritz on Saturday.

Like last season, the Blue and Blacks have to play a top French side, familiar Celtic opposition - Ulster - who they faced two seasons ago, and Northampton - rivals from last season.

Pool 6:

Biarritz

Cardiff

Northampton

Ulster

Cardiff are also in the position of having again seen a large turnover of playing staff during the summer and the appointment of a new coach.

Yet there is every sign that former Wales skipper Dai Young has made a successful step up to management.

And while Cardiff are not as strong in the pack as he would like, Young knows he commands a backline that ensures they have a decent chance of beating any opposition.

Perhaps knowing that his pack may be under pressure, Young has named himself on the replacements' bench, allowing him to literally help shoulder the burden.

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"It would be nice to have an easier group one year but if you want to get in competitions like this you've got to play the best," Young said.

"Biarritz are a quality side coming here and we know that we'll have to be at our best to get a result.

"They tend to like to play a lot of rugby out wide, which could suit us, but their big pack will provide a big challenge."

After a shaky start to the season, Cardiff come to the party on the back of four successive wins that have secured a place in the Celtic League quarter-finals.

Cardiff and Wales fly-half Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Harris is beginning to realise his potential

In Iestyn Harris, now beginning to fulfil his potential after moving from rugby league, and Nick Robinson, Cardiff have two top quality fly-halves.

Then there is a backline oozing pace with Craig Morgan, Jamie Robinson, Rhys Williams and Nick Walne, while Pieter Muller, Anthony Sullivan and Matt Allen lend experience to the blend.

Pool 6 is guarranteed to be tight and the likelihood is that only one team will go through to the quarter-finals.

Northampton and Biarritz seem to have the edge because of their powerful set-piece, but 1999 champions Ulster and Cardiff will have plenty to say.

Cardiff will be without former Springbok Muller for Saturday, but Jamie Robinson passed his fitness test and the young Wales centre says the squad is full of confidence.

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"We couldn't have had a better run-up going into Europe," Robinson said. "We've had some tough games, we've had to really battle it out and we've run in some good tries as well.

"We're a fairly new squad but we've come on in leaps and bounds.

What's good is that we've kept the nucleus of the backs although we've lost a few forwards.

"But if we can get enough ball we've got the pace out wide."

Biarritz have pace themselves in the backs in the shape of France full-back Nicolas Brusque and fellow international Philippe Bernat-Salles on the wing.

Cardiff will also have their work cut out against the all-Test backrow of Serge Betsen, Christophe Milheres and Thomas Lievremont.

Cardiff: Rhys Williams; Nick Walne, Jamie Robinson, Matt Allen, Craig Morgan; Iestyn Harris, Ryan Powell; Peter Rogers, Andrew Lewis, Kenneth Fourie, Heino Senekal, John Tait, Rob Appleyard, Martyn Williams (capt), Dan Baugh.
Reps: David Young, Greg Woods, Adam Jones, Dan McShane, Richard Smith, Nick Robinson, Anthony Sullivan.

Biarritz: Nicolas Brusque; Philippe Bernat-Salles, Guillaume Bousses, John Isaac, Philippe Bidabe; Julien Peyrelongue, Dimitri Yachvili; Emmanuel Menieu, Jean-Michel Gonzalez (capt), Denis Avril, Olivier Nauroy, Olivier Roumat, Serge Betsen, Christophe Milheres, Thomas Lievremont.
Reps: Maurice Fitzgerald, Julien Campo, Ovidiu Tonita, Didier Chouchan, Laurent Mazas, Marc Stcherbina, Stuart Legg.

Referee: Chris White (England).


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