Try bonus point wins at Rugby Calvisano and against Gloucester Rugby at the Millennium Stadium have pushed the Blues five points clear of Biarritz at the top of Pool 6 but Blair, capped six times by the All Blacks, is wary of the danger the French club can pose at the Arms Park on Friday night.

The Blues' sole success against Biarritz is a 21-20 home win in 2003/04, and both clubs go into the crucial middle rounds of matches on the backs of domestic defeats.

"We were outplayed - they got a bit of a sniff early on while we simply didn't get going," said Blair, a Super 12 winner with Crusaders and Ranfurly Shield victor with Canterbury, of the 28-0 Magners League reverse at Glasgow Warriors while Biarritz were going down 32-13 at home to Stade Français Paris in the Top 14 Orange.

"But I don't think it will have much of a bearing on the Biarritz matches as we will be making so many changes - other than re-focussing the boys on what we need to do over the next two weekends and preparing accordingly.

"The Heineken Cup is such a great tournament because you get to play new teams, those you only come up against once every now and again, and that makes the games both hugely important and enjoyable.

"And we have made a really good start to this season's tournament because while two maximum points is as good as it gets, on top of that the win against Gloucester was probably one of our best performances for a number of years.

"The aim for us now has to be two from two against Biarritz which would put us in a good position when we have to go to Kingsholm in January. That said, top French sides are always dangerous and Biarritz went all the way to the 2006 Heineken Cup final.
"We have not really studied them in any great depth so far, we will be doing that this week, but we know a fair bit about their key players like Dimitri Yachvili, Jerome Thion and Damien Traille.

"Naturally it will be great to have the international boys back with the club although it was a real shock to hear about the extent of Jamie's (Roberts) injury which is a great shame for him as things were going so well and we cannot afford injuries to our big players.

"However, we have been developing a few youngsters like Jamie and Leigh Halfpenny, who have really come through superbly, while Andy Powell has certainly taken his opportunity well in the absence of the injured Xavier Rush.

"Wales' great win over Australia means our Test players will be coming back on a high but they now face two tough games for the club after a tough autumn series.

"It is great to be two from two - and it promises to be a great occasion on Friday night - but these are really huge weeks for us and the Biarritz games have been at the back of our minds for a fair time now."

Tickets are still on general sale for the game, although Grandstand tickets are almost sold out. Buy in advance to avoid long queues on the day of the game

Call 029 2030 2030 or buy online at www.cardiffblues.com/tickets

POOL 6 TEAM FORM
Biarritz Olympique - 10th Top 14 Orange

COMPETITION W/L/D
TOP 14 ROUND 1 W Biarritz 29-22 Bourgoin
TOP 14 ROUND 2 W Biarritz 32-17 Castres
TOP 14 ROUND 3 L Toulouse 20-6 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 4 W Biarritz 24-5 Brive
TOP 14 ROUND 5 L Dax 30-18 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 6 L Clermont 32-6 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 7 W Biarritz 46-3 Montpellier
HC ROUND 1 L Gloucester 22-10 Biarritz
HC ROUND 2 W Biarritz 41-10 Calvisano
TOP 14 ROUND 8 W Mont de Marsan 6-33 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 9 L Biarritz 12-14 Bayonne
TOP 14 ROUND 10 L Perpignan 27-12 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 11 L Toulon 10-5 Biarritz
TOP 14 ROUND 12 L Biarritz 13-32 Stade Français

Cardiff Blues - 8th Magners League
COMPETITION W/L/D
ML ROUND 1 D Cardiff Blues 16-16 Leinster
ML ROUND 2 L Ospreys 32-10 Cardiff Blues
ML ROUND 3 W Cardiff Blues 16-15 Ulster
ML ROUND 4 L Munster 28-20 Cardiff Blues
ML ROUND 5 W Cardiff Blues 58-0 Connacht
EDF ROUND 1 W Sale 17-18 Cardiff Blues
HC ROUND 1 W Calvisano 20-56 Cardiff Blues
HC ROUND 2 W Cardiff Blues 37-24 Gloucester
EDF ROUND 2 W Cardiff Blues 23-9 Leicester
EDF ROUND 3 W Cardiff Blues 24-18 Bath
ML ROUND 6 L Glasgow 28-0 Cardiff Blues

Gloucester Rugby - 2nd Guinness Premiership
COMPETITION W/L/D
GP ROUND 1 L Gloucester 8-20 Leicester
GP ROUND 2 W Bath 17-21 Gloucester
GP ROUND 3 W Gloucester 24-20 Harlequins
GP ROUND 4 L Sale 23-9 Gloucester
GP ROUND 5 W Gloucester 39-23 Newcastle
EDF ROUND 1 W Gloucester 24-19 Wasps
HC ROUND 1 W Gloucester 22-10 Biarritz
HC ROUND 2 L Cardiff Blues 37-24 Gloucester
EDF ROUND 2 W Gloucester 25-20 Dragons
EDF ROUND 3 W Newcastle 10-11 Gloucester
GP ROUND 6 W Saracens 21-25 Gloucester
GP ROUND 7 W Gloucester 39-10 Bristol
GP ROUND 8 W Gloucester 33-10 Northampton

Rugby Calvisano - 5th Super 10
COMPETITION W/L/D
S10 Round 1 W Calvisano 20-13 Roma Olimpic
S10 Round 2 L Rovigo 46-16 Calvisano
S10 Round 3 W Almaviva 20-28 Calvisano
S10 Round 4 W Calvisano 42-0 GRAN Parma
HC ROUND 1 L Calvisano 20-56 Cardiff Blues
HC ROUND 2 L Biarritz 41-10 Calvisano
S10 Round 5 L Venezia 36-24 Calvisano
S10 Round 6 W Calvisano 19-3 Petrarca
S10 Round 7 W Viadana 20-6 Calvisano

LEADING SCORERS 2008/09 - POINTS
Ben Blair Cardiff Blues 38
Toby Flood Leicester Tigers 31
Chris Malone Harlequins 31
Lionel Beauxis Stade Français Paris 29
Felipe Contepomi Leinster 28
Luke McAlister Sale Sharks 28
Petre Mitu Montauban 26
Ronan O'Gara Munster 25
David Skrela Toulouse 25
Brock James ASM Clermont Auvergne 24
Olly Barkley Gloucester Rugby 23
James Arlidge Newport Gwent Dragons 20
Jérôme Porical Perpignan 20

LEADING SCORERS 2008/09 - TRIES
Leigh Halfpenny Cardiff Blues 3
Johne Murphy Leicester Tigers 3
Brian O'Driscoll Leinster 3