All You Need To Know | Cardiff Blues v Munster

Munster travel to Cardiff Arms Park to face the Cardiff Blues on Friday night in round four of the Guinness PRO14 (7.35pm, live on eir Sport and TG4).

Having lost 25-18 in the Welsh capital last year, Munster will be eager to reverse that result on the artificial surface in Cardiff as the province go in search of their first away victory of the campaign.

Narrow losses

Cardiff have had the unluckiest of starts to the PRO14 season with the Challenge Cup champions cruelly denied victory in all three of their games thus far.

The margin of defeat says it all as the Welsh club have lost all three games by a combined total of just five points.

Leinster fought back strongly to defeat Cardiff on their home patch in the season opener before victories against Treviso and Zebre in Italy were snatched away in the dying minutes over the last two weekends.

Munster have won two from three but were beaten by Conference A leaders Glasgow Warriors in their only away trip so far this year. Comprehensive bonus-point wins over Cheetahs and Ospreys in Limerick and Cork have given Johann van Graan’s men 10 points from a possible 15.

Team Line-Ups

Cardiff Blues: Gareth Anscombe, Blaine Scully, Willis Halaholo, Rey Lee-Lo, Jason Harries; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Rhys Gill, Kristian Dacey, Dmitri Arhip, George Earle, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Ellis Jenkins (capt), Nick Williams.

Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Rhys Carre, Scott Andrews, Macauley Cook, Olly Robinson, Lloyd Williams, Garyn Smith, Matthew Morgan.

Munster: JJ Hanrahan; Andrew Conway, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam; Joey Carbery, Duncan Williams; James Cronin, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), Chris Cloete, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne, Brian Scott, Darren O’Shea, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack Stafford, Bill Johnston, Shane Daly.

See full Munster team details here.

Overall Guinness PRO14 Record

Played 30, Blues won 12, Munster won 18.

Did you know?

• The Blues single point defeat at home to Leinster in round 1 ended a run of five successive victories in all competitions at the Arms Park.
• Munster’s last five games in the Championship have all been won by the home side on the day, the Munster men’s most recent way win being on a trip to Bloemfontein to face Cheetahs in April.
• Munster’s only defeat in their last seven fixtures against Welsh regions was against The Blues at the Arms Park in round 15 last year.
• Each side won its respective home game when they clashed last season, whilst Munster have been victorious on four of their last six visits to the Arms Park.

Match Officials

Referee: Quinton Immelman (SARU, 12th competition game)

Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas, Gareth John (both WRU)

Citing Commissioner: Dennis Jones (WRU)

TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)