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Winnett and Adams return as Cardiff make 11 changes for Sharks

Liam Belcher captains Friday’s Arms Park side, with Keiron Assiratti also fit for a place on the bench.

George Benn ·

Archive article. Published on Thu 22 Oct, 15:12. Conditions may have changed since this reporting.

Archive: Cardiff Arms Park’s East Stand, 15 May 2008. Historic signs do not show current sponsorship. Seth Whales / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Archive: Cardiff Arms Park’s East Stand, 15 May 2008. Historic signs do not show current sponsorship. Seth Whales / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Original photographPublic domain

Cam Winnett and Josh Adams return from injury as Cardiff make 11 changes for Friday’s United Rugby Championship meeting with Sharks at the Arms Park. Winnett is selected at full-back for what would be his first appearance of the season. Adams starts on the wing, while Keiron Assiratti has been passed fit for a place among the replacements and is also in line for his season debut.

Cardiff selection

4 figures

Changes from Northampton
11
Changes among forwards
8
Kick-off
Friday 23 October, 7.45pm BST
Venue
Cardiff Arms Park

Source: Cardiff Rugby

Rugby team sheets

Cardiff Rugby

Starting side

  1. 1Scott Sio
  2. 2Liam Belcher (captain)
  3. 3Javan Sebastian
  4. 4Josh McNally
  5. 5Teddy Williams
  6. 6Alex Mann
  7. 7James Botham
  8. 8Taine Basham
  9. 9Johan Mulder
  10. 10Jarrod Evans
  11. 11Harri Millard
  12. 12Steff Emanuel
  13. 13Le Roux Malan
  14. 14Josh Adams
  15. 15Cam Winnett
Replacements (8)
  1. 16Evan Lloyd
  2. 17Danny Southworth
  3. 18Keiron Assiratti
  4. 19Tom Manz
  5. 20Semisi Paea
  6. 21Aled Davies
  7. 22Callum Sheedy
  8. 23Tom Bowen

Source: Cardiff Rugby, 22 October 2026

Belcher back as captain

Liam Belcher returns to lead the side, with eight changes in the forwards from the team that faced Northampton in the Champions Cup. Scott Sio and Javan Sebastian join him in the front row. Le Roux Malan starts at centre against his former club, alongside Steff Emanuel. Jarrod Evans and Johan Mulder form the half-back pairing.

Friday at the Arms Park

The match starts at 7.45pm BST on 23 October. Coach Corniel van Zyl welcomed the return home and said Cardiff wanted to test themselves against Sharks’ quality. The complete Cardiff starting side and eight replacements are listed below. These are confirmed selections for a future fixture; no match result or full-time statistics are available.

Background and supporting figures

Where this sits

2 checked facts

  1. How does it compare?

    • The announced returns include a starting full-back and a replacement prop who have not yet played this season; selection does not itself add an appearance.

      cardiffrugby.wales

    • The club’s eight forward changes account for the whole pack within its stated eleven changes, so the most extensive rotation is up front.

      cardiffrugby.wales

Every line above was checked against the source named beside it before this piece was published.

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