Nathan White and Brett Wilkinson are unavailable for Eric Elwood but prop Rodney Ah You and hooker Etienne Reynecke have overcome hamstring and toe injuries.
Behind the scrum, Connacht are harder hit, with new signings Dan Parks (calf) and Danie Poolman (hamstring), centre Kyle Tonetti (hamstring) and winger Brian Murphy (knee), along with scrumhalves Frank Murphy and Paul O’Donohoe all sidelined.
Yet, Connacht can still field a talented backline. The highly regarded Kieran Marmion, Ireland’s under-20 scrumhalf in their fifth place finish at the IRB World Junior Championship, makes his competitive debut inside Miah Nikora.
Cardiff are missing nine players, while their international contingent resuming on Monday.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, M Fifita, F Vainikolo; M Nikora, K Marmion; D Buckley, E Reynecke, R Loughney; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, J O’Connor, G Naoupu. Replacements: A Flavin, R Ah You, F Bealham, D Gannon, W Faloon, D Moore, M Jarvis, R Henshaw.
CARDIFF BLUES: D Fish; H Robinson, G Evans, G Davies, T James; C Sweeney, L Jones; T Davies, A Kyriacou, T Filise, R Copeland, J Down, R Watts-Jones, J Navidi, A Pretorius. Replacements: R Williams, B Borrust, N Trevett, L Reed, L Hamilton, L Williams, C Allen, T Williams, O Williams.
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Forecast: Connacht to win.
