Mulvihill turns to Six Nations stars for Six Nations showdown

John Mulvihill has called upon his entire Wales contingent for Friday’s Guinness PRO14 derby between Cardiff Blues and Scarlets.

Following their Grand Slam heroics Josh Navidi and Gareth Anscombe go straight into the starting line-up, with Dillon Lewis named on the bench.

Fellow Six Nations squad members Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull, Tomos Williams and Jarrod Evans are also all included in the match-day 23 for the Cardiff Arms Park encounter.

It is a significant boost to the Blues, who are battling to reach the PRO14 play-offs and qualification for the Heineken Champions Cup.

Mulvihill said: “It’s great to be able to include all of our Wales internationals following a hugely successful Six Nations.

“They will have no problem getting themselves up for a Welsh derby and we are all hugely motivated for this crucial fixture.

“The Scarlets traditionally, are a team who really like to move the ball and will test us across the park so we will have to be at our defensive best to negate their attacking threats.

“They have proven in the past they are a champion team and they have their own top three aspirations so we know they will be desperate to win this contest.

“But we set ourselves the target of being the number one team in Wales at the start of the season and a victory this weekend will take us one step closer to that goal and that top three place.”

Wales’ Capital Region raced to a stunning 34-5 bonus-point victory over the Scarlets in December and are targeting a memorable double to remain in the play-off hunt.

With the euphoria of a Welsh Grand Slam and so much at stake in the PRO14, a bumper crowd is expected at the Arms Park.

Mulvihill added: “There’s going to be a massive crowd and at the start of the week we only got a few thousand left to sell out Cardiff Arms Park.

“It’s going to be an absolutely cracking game and a great advert for regional rugby.”

Cardiff Blues : G Anscombe; O Lane, R Lee-Lo, W Halaholo, A Summerhill; J Evans, T Williams; R Gill, K Dacey (capt), D Arhip, J Turnbull, R Thornton, J Navidi, O Robinson, N Williams.

Replacements: E Lewis, R Carre, D Lewis, S Davies, S Lewis-Hughes, L Williams, H Millard, M Morgan.