Danny Wilson insists his buoyant Cardiff Blues will chase the teams above them in the Guinness Pro14 Conference A table – rather than look over their shoulder. The Blues’ 25-18 victory at home to Munster at the weekend has strengthened their chances of getting back into the European Champions Cup next season. Three teams from each conference qualify, but that does not include the South African sides, so the Blues’ current fourth spot would be enough to get them back into the premier European tournament.

Cardiff Blues will face controversial Munster signing Gerbrandt Grobler when they host the Irish side in the Guinness Pro14 at the Arms Park on Saturday. Grobler will make his first start for the province, following weeks of debate in Ireland over the merits of signing the South African who served a two-year ban after failing a drugs test. The former Racing 92 second row has been a divisive figure in Irish rugby since Munster decided to give him a contract despite his suspension from 2014 to 2016, when he was playing for the Stormers in South African Super Rugby.

The Ospreys will check further on the fitness of young centre Owen Watkin on Monday following his neck injury suffered in their 29-28 weekend victory over the Cardiff Blues. The Wales international was hurt during the late stages of the Guinness Pro14 derby at the Liberty Stadium and taken to hospital for medical checks. Watkin was released home on Saturday night but the 21-year-old is due to undergo more tests at the Ospreys’ training base before it will be known whether the injury will rule him out of European Champions Cup and Six Nations contention over the next few weeks.

Steve Tandy is expecting a regional derby thriller when Cardiff Blues arrive at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. The Swansea-based region got over their defeat to West Wales rivals Scarlets with a convincing 22-9 triumph at the Dragons on New Year’s Eve and head coach Tandy believes the recovery will grow against their city rivals.

Gethin Jenkins could face another spell on the sidelines following a head injury suffered during the Cardiff Blues’ clash against the Dragons. The Wales prop is due to have X-rays following a heavy collision in the Blues’ 22-17 Guinness  Pro 14 victory on Boxing Day. Jenkins had come off the bench when prop Brad Thyer was sin-binned during the first-half at Rodney Parade.

Danny Wilson has paid tribute to the grit shown by Cardiff Blues as they gained useful revenge over Sale Sharks to boost their chances of making the quarter-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The Blues coach saw his team earn a hard-fought 14-6 win at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday. Matthew Morgan’s second half try proved decisive as the Blues made amends for their 24-0 loss in the reverse fixture last week.

Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson has been appointed the new forwards supremo at Wasps. The former Wales Under 20 boss will leave the capital city region at the end of the current season after three years at the helm. Wilson will link up with former Wales international and ex-Blues head coach Dai Young in Coventry. “The opportunity to work with Dai was one of the big attractions of moving to Wasps,” said Wilson.

Wales wing Alex Cuthbert is set to quit Cardiff Blues at the end of the season. Cuthbert – who will follow head coach Danny Wilson and assistant Matt Sherratt through the Arms Park exit door – is expected to join his home town club Gloucester. The 27-year-old joined the Blues in 2011 and his impressive form quickly earned him a place in the Wales squad that won the Grand Slam the following year.

Danny Wilson has admitted he could understand Nigel Owens’ decision to red card Taufa’ao Filise – but still felt the decision was harsh. The Cardiff Blues coach has paid tribute to his team’s tenacity after they lost 40-16 at Glasgow on Friday night, where they played all but the opening half hour with 14 men. They were reduced to 13 when flanker Olly Robinson was sent to the sin bin, but it was the dismissal of Filise for a high tackle that proved the real turning point.

Cardiff Blues coach Danny Wilson paid tribute to Gethin Jenkins as his Wales prop helped inspire a 37-8 thrashing of Zebre at the Arms Park on Saturday night. It was skipper Jenkins’ first game since injuring his knee in the Blues’ Judgement Day win over the Ospreys at the Principality Stadium on April 15. The Lions prop – who will turn 37 this month – played for 56 minutes and looked as though he had never been away.

Gethin Jenkins will return to captain Cardiff Blues as one of 10 changes to face Zebre in the Guinness Pro14 on Saturday. The Wales front-row forward has been side-lined since April with knee and calf muscle injuries, but leads an experienced pack against a rejuvenated Zebre side. Jenkins packs down alongside Matthew Rees and Taufa’ao Filise in the front-row while Macauley Cook and Damian Welch form the second-row and Josh Turnbull starts at blindside flanker.

Cardiff Blues have made five changes for their return to Guinness Pro14 action against the Scarlets on Saturday night. The Blues go into the Welsh derby at Parc y Scarlets on the back of consecutive European Challenge Cup victories against Lyon and Toulouse. Kristian Dacey continues to skipper the team and four of the changes come in the pack. Brad Thyer and Dillon Lewis complete the front-row, while Seb Davies and Olly Robinson step up from the bench at lock and flanker respectively.