The Blues kick off their title defence against Gloucester © Getty Images

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News: Blues snatch dramatic victory

Tournaments/Tours: Anglo-Welsh Cup

Teams: Bath Rugby | Cardiff Blues | Dragons | England | Gloucester Rugby | Harlequins | Leeds Tykes | Leicester Tigers | London Irish | Newcastle Falcons | Northampton Saints | Ospreys | Sale Sharks | Saracens | Scarlets | Wales | Wasps | Worcester Warriors

The new Anglo-Welsh Cup season kicks off this week with Cardiff Blues out to defend the title that they won with a resounding 50-12 victory over Gloucester at Twickenham in April.

The Blues kick off their defence against the same opposition at Kingsholm on Sunday, with the competition embracing a new format. Games will be played on international weekends during November and during the Six Nations with 12 teams from the Guinness Premiership and the Welsh regional sides from the Magners League split between four pools.

Teams from Pool One will face their rivals from Pool Four, while Pools Two and Three will also battle it out against each other. The teams will play a total of four matches during the initial phase of the competition with the top teams from each Pool progressing to the semi-finals.

The action kicks off on Thursday night with the 2008 champions Ospreys hosting Northampton at the Liberty Stadium. The home side have called on their enviable strength-in-depth for the game and include former All Black Jerry Collins in a side skippered by veteran Wales international Ian Gough. Saint Boss Jim Mallinder has mixed youth and experience, with Stephen Myler controlling things from fly-half and Jon Clarke continuing in the centre.

Friday's game sees Shaun Connor skipper the Newport-Gwent Dragons against Sale Sharks at Rodney Parade. Connor is partnered by former All Black scrum-half Danny Lee and Wales international centre Matthew Watkins continues his comeback from injury with a start.

Saturday's only fixture sees Worcester take on Newcastle at Sixways. The Falcons have made 12 changes from the team that defeated the Warriors last weekend, with winger Uche Oduoza making his first start against his old club. The action hots up on Sunday with five fixtures. The Blues' visit to Kingsholm is the standout fixture, while the Scarlets complete the Anglo-Welsh fixtures with a trip to face Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop.

Blues coach Dai Young has shifted Australian Sam Norton-Knight from fly-half to fullback and handed the No.10 shirt to Ceri Sweeney as the Blues struggle with 10 players lost to international duty. Gloucester include former Blues hero Nick Robinson at fly-half and an all-international back-row in Alasdair Strokosch, Akapusi Qera and Gareth Delve all starting.

A win for Bath over Guinness Premiership leaders Saracens would be a welcome confidence-boost and there is a London derby as London Irish take on Wasps at the Madejski Stadium. The final all Premiership affair is at Headingley, where Leeds face a Leicester side fresh from their meeting with the Springboks. James Grindal leads a Tigers side packed with academy products, while Lucas Amorosino backs up from the Friday clash with the Boks at fullback.