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Page last updated at 12:53 GMT, Friday, 18 December 2009

Coach David Young says Blues are ready for Toulouse

Heineken Cup Pool Five
Venue: Stade Municipal Date: Saturday, 19 December Kick-off: 1335 GMT
Coverage: Coverage on BBC Radio Wales MW, Radio Cymru and BBC Sport website. Also live on Sky Sports 3 (via red button)


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Rush confident on Blues' mission

Blues coach David Young says his side should not be daunted by their trip to Toulouse on Saturday.

The last time the region played there they went down 41-17 in the Heineken Cup quarter-final two seasons ago.

But Young, who saw his side beat Toulouse 15-9 at home last weekend, believes the Blues are a better side than they were at that time.

"We have proved it over the last couple of seasons we can mix it with the best," said Young.

"We have grown in confidence and improved. We are a far better team."

WELSH HEINEKEN WINS IN FRANCE
2008/9:
Biarritz 6-10 Blues
2007/8:
Bourgoin 21-28 Ospreys
2006/7:
Toulouse 34-41 Scarlets
2006/7:
Bourgoin 5-13 Blues
2000/1:
Colomiers 6-19 Llanelli
1999/2000:
Bourgoin 30 Llanelli 36

But Young is still looking for an improvement from the previous weekend when the Blues allowed Toulouse to escape with a losing bonus point.

"If we had delivered our best game last weekend we would probably be a lot more worried, but there are still large areas of our game I think we can improve," he believes.

"Our set-piece wasn't great on the weekend.

"We lost six line-outs and our scrum wasn't the platform that we wanted.

"So if we can get in the right areas of the field I'm sure we can cause them some problems.

They will be far more desperate and probably more adventurous and that will either work for them or against them

David Young

"It will be a different game out there. They will be far more desperate and probably more adventurous and that will either work for them or against them.

"We are going out there with a lot of confidence and a lot of belief. [But we will have] huge respect for them.

"We know that Toulouse on their day are a real force to be reckoned with, but there is no reason why we can't go out there and do the job which we are intending to do.

"I'd have to put my hand up I find it impossible to plan for a losing bonus point. We have one focus: that's to go out there to win. With five minutes left and we are in bonus point territory obviously we will cling on to it if we can."

The Blues go into the match enjoying relative consistency in selection, showing just one enforced change to their starting line-up from the last week's win - Richard Mustoe coming in for Tom James (groin).

606: DEBATE

"Tom has struggled with his groin the last couple of weeks and it was very evident earlier party of the week he wasn't going to be fit," explained Young.

"We will scan it but we expect him to be fit sooner rather than later.

"Richard Mustoe always gives us everything and he has been one of our most attacking threats all season so we are looking forward to seeing him play.

"It's a novelty for me really. Very few occasions have we been able to pick from [nearly full strength] teams. To put it near to back to back team selections is rare and one I'm looking forward to."



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see also
Toulouse 23-7 Blues
19 Dec 09 |  Welsh
Blues 15-9 Toulouse
12 Dec 09 |  Welsh
Heineken Cup 2009/10
22 Dec 09 |  Rugby Union
Heineken Cup tables
09 Aug 06 |  Tables
European rugby archive
16 Aug 06 |  Rugby Union
Coming up next on Scrum V...
03 Nov 08 |  Welsh
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


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