Cardiff will hand Academy full back Cameron Winnett a United Rugby Championship debut in Friday’s final game of the season against Benetton out in Treviso (6pm). The 19-year-old has already had one outing for the region, scoring a try in the Champions Cup clash with Harlequins in December, but now he takes his league bow.
A Wales U20s international, he has starred for Cardiff RFC during their title-winning Premiership campaign, making 12 appearances in all. He features in a fresh-faced outside backs division with an average age of 21, as 20-year-old Theo Cabango continues on the wing and fellow youngsters Max Llewellyn, 23, and Mason Grady, 20, link up in midfield.
With Llewellyn - the son of former Wales lock Gareth - and Grady both being 6ft 5ins, it may well be the tallest centre pairing ever seen in regional rugby.
Following Liam Belcher’s red card in the narrow victory over the Dragons last weekend, Kristian Dacey comes in at hooker, while Ellis Jenkins captains from the openside flank, with fit-again regional skipper Josh Turnbull on the bench alongside rookie hooker Efan Daniel.
The list of players unavailable through injury is a lengthy one, with Josh Adams, Tomos Williams, Willis Halaholo, Hallam Amos, Jarrod Evans, Rory Thornton, Garyn Smith, Jacob Beetham, Scott Andrews, Aled Summerhill, Keiron Assiratti, Theo Bevacqua, Rhys Gill and Will Davies-King all sidelined.
Director of rugby, Dai Young said: “We were pleased to secure back-to-back wins last week and now we are determined to finish the season on a high with three.
“It has been a frustrating and very disrupted season but we now have the opportunity to sign off on a positive note and have something to build into next year with.
“Playing so many consecutive games has been a real challenge and a lot of players are battered and bruised so we have made a few more changes.
“It will be a big test, and Benetton will be confident after winning last week, so we need to focus on our own game and roles and execute to the best of our ability.”
Irish referee Eoghan Cross takes charge of his first game in the competition, with the match being shown live on S4C and Premier Sports.
Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Edoardo Padovani, Ignacio Brex, Filippo Drago, Mattia Bellini, Tomas Albornoz, Callum Braley, Thomas Gallo, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Irné Herbst, Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (capt), Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Ivan Nemer, Nahuel Tetaz, Niccolò Cannone, Toa Halafihi, Dewaldt Duvenage, Joaquin Riera, Leonardo Marin.
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Owen Lane, Mason Grady, Max Llewellyn, Theo Cabango; Rhys Priestland, Lloyd Williams; Rhys Carré, Kristian Dacey, Dmitri Arhip, Seb Davies, Matthew Screech, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Ellis Jenkins (capt), James Ratti.
Replacements: Efan Daniel, Corey Domachowski, Dillon Lewis, Teddy Williams, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Bevan, Ben Thomas, Jason Harries
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
