Gareth Anscombe has conceded the Cardiff Blues are heavily in debt to the Ospreys ahead of Friday night’s Guinness Pro 12 derby.
The Blues outside-half – who has been denied a head-to-head with his Wales rival Dan Biggar by the Ospreys’ decision to pick Sam Davies – admits the one-sided nature of recent clashes means a Blues win is long overdue.
The Ospreys have won the last 10 matches between the regions, a dominance that has reflected the gap that has opened between the teams in terms of achievements within the Pro12.
But the divide would seem to be closing if the evidence of this season’s form is used as an indicator – although the same argument was advanced last season before the Ospreys beat the Blues 40-27 the last time they met in April in the Judgement Day showdown.
Anscombe admits: “The Ospreys have had the edge over us in recent seasons.
“We went close at the Principality Stadium and feel we owe them one. We are quietly confident but we must improve and be better than we were against Leinster.
“To lose at home is never nice but we have to take our medicine and improve for a derby. We really need to win that game now, to keep up with the title contenders.”
The Ospreys are also looking to return to winning ways following consecutive defeats to Leinster and Ulster, with head coach Steve Tandy preferring Davies over Biggar in an otherwise unchanged 15 from Saturday’s loss at the Kingspan Stadium.
The selection of Davies is an acknowledgment of the 23-year-old’s growing influence at the Liberty Stadium, but it also highlights the need for Tandy to keep both his fly-halves happy.
Tandy admits they will welcome a Blues side tipped for the win to the Liberty Stadium, but says he has full confidence his side can upset the odds.
“We know that it’s going to be tough this weekend but we are all looking forward to it,” said Tandy.
“The Blues are coming down as favourites, they’ve had a great start to the season and will be confident of getting the win, so we understand that we have to stand up to them and really perform.
“It’s building nicely to be a huge game, a big contest between local rivals in front of a passionate crowd, which is exactly what we want.
“It’s the kind of occasion that Welsh rugby needs and that everybody wants to be involved in. With the Blues starting the season so well, they have shown what they are capable of and they will want to really push forward this weekend.
“We showed in the second half in Leinster and then for 80 minutes against Ulster that, if we get everything right that we need to, we can compete.
“It was incredibly disappointing to lose last weekend in the manner we did, but there’s no better game to focus on and get a reaction from the squad than a huge derby match against the Blues.”
Blues head coach Danny Wilson has made four changes to his outfit for the first Welsh derby of the season, with Sam Warburton and George Earle ruled out through injury.
Josh Navidi and Macauley Cook will start in the pack, with Dan Fish replacing Matthew Morgan at full-back and Garyn Smith set for his first start of the season.
The Blues won four of their six Welsh derbies last season, but have struggled to overcome Ospreys in recent years, not recording a win over their opposition since 2010.
And after seeing their unbeaten form stutter at BT Cardiff Arms Park last weekend, Wilson wants to see an immediate response from his players on Saturday.
“Following last weekend, our first defeat of the season, we have had a good review and view it as a missed opportunity to beat a good Leinster side,” he said.
“There are a couple of areas we have identified that we want to improve upon going into the Ospreys game.
“They are a good team with a lot of high profile players and are well coached. It is going to be a tough game but it is a Welsh derby and everyone is excited and motivated for the first one of the season.
“We go into the game on the back of a good start, with four wins from five, so we have a bit of confidence but we know it will be a big test at the Liberty Stadium.”
Ospreys: Dan Evans, Jeff Hassler, Ben John, Josh Matavesi, Eli Walker, Sam Davies, Rhys Webb, Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Ma’afu Fia, Rory Thornton, Dan Lydiate, Tom Habberfield, Dan Biggar, Ashley Beck.
Cardiff Blues: Dan Fish; Blaine Scully, Garyn Smith, Rey Lee-Lo, Tom James; Gareth Anscombe, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kristian Dacey, Taufa’ao Filise, Macauley Cook, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Ellis Jenkins, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Matthew Rees, Rhys Gill, Scott Andrews, James Down, Cam Dolan, Tomos Williams, Steven Shingler, Matthew Morgan.
