Cheika’s side are five points ahead of Dai Young’s Blues at the summit of the league table and a win will give them a healthy point cushion at the top of the table with eight rounds left to play.
And without his Ireland internationals Chieka will have to rely on his squad strength to get past a Cardiff side who could select Welsh squad members Robert Sowden-Taylor, Jamie Roberts and Tom James.
The four have all been released by Wales coach Warren Gatland, and Cheika said: “They’ll have nearly a full deck to choose from. It’s going to be a very tough match because we beat them away from home and they’ll be looking to address that.”
However, British Lions trio Gethin Jenkins, Tom Shanklin and talismanic Martyn Williams will play no part after being selected for Wales’s match with Italy next weekend.
But Cheika says no matter who the personnel are on the park, the Blues will be dangerous. “I think that in the context of it all, they’re one place behind us and they’ll be coming over here very fired up,” he said.
“The way they’re going, they’re in a good run of form and they have a Heineken Cup Quarter-Final to look forward to so I wouldn’t be taken this game any different (than I would) a final because of the nature of the competition and because of the standings.
“I know I said that they’re a side in form, but because this part of the season is in blocks there’s no real running form to have a good look at, so that’s going to be a factor as well.”
