Cardiff name team for Zebre clash as talented younger brother of Wales international returns

Cardiff Rugby have named talented young back Mason Grady in their matchday squad for the first time in more than 12 months to face Zebre Parma on Friday night at Cardiff Arms Park (7.35pm kick-off).

The rescheduled United Rugby Championship clash is the Welsh region's last home game of the season where Dai Young's men will target their first win since victory over Glasgow on March 26. Four defeats have followed: two to the Scarlets, one to the Ospreys and it was a loss away to Munster last time out. However, the hosts will be bidding to return to winning ways for the occasion which will also mark Seb Davies' 100th first-team appearance and Rhys Carre's 50th.

Grady, 20, impressed in Cardiff RFC's title run-in and is named in the first-team squad for the first time since suffering a knee injury in March 2021. The little brother of Wales international Cory Allen is a strapping centre come wing who represented Wales U20s aged just 17 and made his regional debut in November 2020 before his season was cut short prematurely.

Davies links up with Matthew Screech in the second row, while Carre is joined by Liam Belcher and Dmitri Arhip in the front row. Josh Navidi continues as captain in an unchanged back row, with Rhys Priestland and Matthew Morgan coming into the back-line to replace the injured Jarrod Evans and Hallam Amos respectively. Kirby Myhill is set to reach a century of United Rugby Championship appearances if he comes off the bench, as Teddy Williams, Ellis Bevan and Ben Thomas are all welcomed back into the matchday squad.

As for Zebre, Franco Smith Jr. will make his debut if called upon from the replacements bench and Ross Vintcent will make his first appearance for the side.

Cardiff boss Young said: “First of all,