The Exiles head to the BT Sport Arms Park as the top dogs in Pool 4 with a two points lead over Cornish Pirates. But the Blues aren’t out of the quarter-final running just yet following their 18-15 victory in Cornwall in round four.
If they can beat the Pool leaders then they could close the gap on the top two teams, who have to fight it out in the final round next week. The Blues end with an away trip to Nottingham, with who they drew in their opening match, 20-20.
“It’s knockout rugby for us now and we know we can’t afford to lose if we want to progress to the quarter-finals,” said Hodges, who admits he has been pleased with the way his young squad has adapted to the new competition this season.
“The team has had to learn quickly this season that English Championship sides play a brand of rugby that is often very different to the Welsh Premiership. It has taken us a few games to adjust but we’ve been pleased with the player’s attitude and determination to make our first campaign in the B&I Cup a successful one.
“There will be a number of debuts on Saturday and it’s great to see potential regional players of the future given the chance to impress in this competition.”
Teenage Cowbridge Comprehensive School pupil Owen Lane scored two tries against London Welsh in the first meeting to show off his considerable talents. He is hoping for call-up into the Wales Under 20 squad this season having earlier signed an Academy contract with the Blues.
The only other Welsh side with any lingering hopes of reaching the last eight re the Dragons Premiership Select XV, who are still in the hunt in Pool 5 having won their opening two matches against Connacht A and Jersey. Their Pool is led by Doncaster Knights, who beat them in the back-to-back matches in rounds three and four.
The Knights, who are coached by former Wales defence and Wales rugby league coach Clive Griffiths, are second in the English Championship behind Bristol Rugby at the moment and are three points clear of second placed Jersey in the B&I Cup pool. The Dragons are six points adrift of the leaders at present with 10.
It promises to be a tough trip to Jersey this weekend to face a side that are in fifth place in the Englsih Championship. As Dragons coach Jams Chapron admitted to the South Wales Argus, there is now no margin for error for his side, who must win their final two fixtures to stand any chance of progressing.
“Nobody wants to play in a dead rubber in the last game of the group, that makes it hard for everyone to get motivated. We have got boys in the group for different reasons, they all have something to play for and after starting off really well in the tournament we don’t want to leave with the Doncaster result (49-17 in Ystrad Mynach) hanging over us,” said Chapron.
“If we go out despite four wins, so be it. All we can control is our performances and we need a minimum of eight points from these two games.”
It took a length of the field try, finished off by Arwel Robson in the dying moments at Pandy Park, to earn the
Dragons a 30-27 home win over Jersey in November. Chapron is likely to have some senior Dragons players in his squad – Hugh Gustafson, Rhys Buckley and Lloyd Fairbrother up front and Geraint Rhys Jones, Ross Wardle and Aled Brew behind – but will need the whole team to play to its full potential to come away with another away win.
“Jersey will look back at that game and think they had enough territory and possession to win it, it was only a wonder try that snatched it away from them,” added Chapron.
“It will be a big challenge for us up front because they are big and well organised while recent weather will probably lead to a tighter rather than an expansive game.”
The Scarlets, who broke their duck in the third round with a fabulous 23-7 win over Ulster A in Belfast, have been forced to switch their home clash with English Championship leaders to their training pitch at Clifton RFC because of the state of the pitch at Llandovery RFC’s Church Bank ground.
Gareth Maule could find himself playing against his former club as he is set to return to the Bristol midfield after overcoming an injury. The west country club also announced they have given former Wales an British & Irish Lions star Gavin Henson a year-long contract extension as they bid to gain promotion back to the Aviva Premiership.
The Ospreys, who have yet to win a game after losing to Yorkshire Carnegie, London Scottish and then back-to-back against Munster A, travel to Richmond to meet London Scottish on Saturday.
British & Irish Cup Round 5
Saturday, 16 January
Pool 4: Cardiff Blues PS XV v London Welsh (2.30pm)
Pool 5: Jersey v Dragons PS XV (2.30pm_
Pool 3: London Scottish v Ospreys PS XV (3.00pm)
Sunday, 17 January
Scarlets PS XV v Bristol Rugby (Clifton RFC, 3.00pm)
