Matt Sherratt will swap the intense atmosphere of the Six Nations for the more familiar pressure of the BKT United Rugby Championship when he attempts to keep his Cardiff Rugby side in the hunt for a play-off place.
With just six rounds left to play, the ‘Race to the Eight’ is so tight there are just four points separating the Emirates Lions, who face Cardiff at the Arms Park in Round 13, in eighth place and Zebre in 15th.
Move a bit higher and there are only eight points covering the gap between the Italian side and fifth-placed Munster. It means there is all to play for and one slip could see teams tumbling out of the play-off picture.
Sherratt’s side are definitely in that category and with only two home games left to go at the Arms Park – Munster arrive on 25 April – they need to pick up as many points as possible against the Lions. They finish off their regular league campaign with a tough double in South Africa against the Bulls and Stormers.
“It’s a key game, it’s at home, and it’s against a team that are around us in the league. You can see it’s a tight league and you can go from third to almost 12th in a couple of weeks,” said Sherratt.
“So, it’s important that you pick points up at home. That’s what we’ll be focusing on, trying to get as many points as we can.
“It’s an important game which will go some way to deciding which path we go down for the rest of the season. It’s good to get some of the Wales boys back, and they give our squad a little bit more strength in depth.
“The team have prepared well, and I know everyone is looking forward to getting back to the Arms Park and playing in front of a loud and passionate home crowd.”
Wales Six Nations players Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, James Botham and Ellis Bevan are all included in the side, while Corey Domachowski is fit again to resume. The game will also see Wales lock Seb Davies make his 150th appearance for the pro club.
He made his first team debut back in the 2014-15 season and is one of two changes to the starting line-up that secured a try bonus-point against unbeaten Leinster in the last round of URC in Dublin. Davies replaces Rory Thornton, while Alex Mann pulls on the No7 jersey, with Thomas Young dropping to the replacements bench.