Blues can't switch off against Wallabies

The Blues welcome an Australian XV to the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday as they get ready for a crucial bottom-of-the table Magners League fixture against Connacht on December 6.

And former Welsh international and British & Irish Lions prop Young knows that, despite a shock defeat to Scotland on Saturday, the Aussies will present a formidable challenge to his regional outfit.

"We can't switch off as they will always look to attack which is great for the spectator but certainly going to test us," said Young.

"That is something we have to be mindful of - they are happy to attack from anywhere and anyone of their players is comfortable with ball in hand and every one of them will look to play rugby.

"It's very rare that we get the opportunity to play an international team and this is obviously the first time since we became a region, so we have all been looking forward to the match for a number of weeks now.

"It may be obvious to say, but our opponents have looked typically Australian, in so far as they are very efficient at set piece time, very effective in the contact area with some good running lines.

"They keep the ball off the ground as much as they can and like to throw it around. They play an expansive game that we all know Australia is renowned for."

Young has received a double boost ahead of Tuesday's 7.35pm kick off after Wales coach Warren Gatland agreed to release two of the Blues' international contingent.

Experienced scrum-half Gareth Cooper and young openside Sam Warburton were given permission to turn out for the Blues and both have gone straight into the starting line up.

Elsewhere in the Blues squad, Australian fly-half Sam Norton-Knight gets the chance to impress against his home country just a few months after departing for a new adventure in the northern hemisphere.

Australia make three personnel changes from the mid-week XV that comfortably beat Gloucester back on November 3, with 19-year-old ACT Brumbies fly-half Matt Toomua set to make his senior debut.

The other changes see Pekahou Cowan included to start at loosehead prop, in the place of Salesi Ma'afu, after coming off the bench as a hooker against Gloucester.

Ma'afu is relegated to the bench, after featuring on the tighthead side of the scrum at Gloucester, with Sekope Kepu switching from loosehead to tighthead to accommodate the inclusion of Cowan.

Wallaby sensation James O'Connor starts at fullback, with Kurtley Beale, who filled that role against Gloucester, switching to wing in the place of Drew Mitchell.

O'Connor is one of seven players in the starting XV who were included in the matchday 22 that fell to a 9-8 defeat against Scotland at Murrayfield last time out, although centre Ryan Cross is the only player who starts against the Blues who also began who also began the Test match in Edinburgh.

Kepu, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, No.8 Richard Brown, scrum-half Luke Burgess and lock Dean Mumm are the other starters playing their second match in four days.

George Smith, Mark Chisholm and Quade Cooper are all on the bench as Robbie Deans names a strong side prior to next weekend's international against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Cardiff Blues: Ben Blair, Richard Mustoe, Gareth Thomas, Dafydd Hewitt, Chris Czekaj, Sam Norton-Knight, Gareth Cooper, Taufa'au Filise, Gareth Williams, Gary Powell, Deiniol Jones, Scott Morgan, Sam Warburton, Ben White, Xavier Rush (captain)

Replacements: T Rhys Thomas, Sam Hobbs, Paul Tito, Robin Sowden Taylor, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Gavin Evans

Australia XV: James O'Connor (Western Force), Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs), Ryan Cross (Western Force), Tyrone Smith (Brumbies), Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Matt Toomua (Brumbies), Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs); Pekahou Cowan (Western Force), Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs), Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs), Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs, captain), Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies), Matt Hodgson (Western Force), Richard Brown (Western Force)

Replacements: Salesi Ma'afu (Brumbies), Matt Dunning (Western Force), Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), George Smith (Brumbies), Richard Kingi (Queensland Reds), Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Luke Morahan (Queensland Reds)