Danny Wilson hopes Cardiff Blues’ best ever start to a season can fire them to just a first Guinness PRO12 win over Leinster since 2011.

The Welsh capital side have won four consecutive games to sit second in the league – level on 17 points with Les Kiss’ unbeaten Ulster – and were boosted by 131-cap Test prop Gethin Jenkins signing a contract extension in the week.

Wilson has stuck to a winning formula, with Gareth Anscombe starting at outside-half, while Nick Williams starts at No.8 alongside Wales captain Sam Warburton and Ellis Jenkins.

And after wins against Glasgow Warriors, Zebre, Munster and Edinburgh, Wilson believes his side can claim overturn a run of one win in 19 games against Leinster.

“Confidence is good, confidence is high off the back of winning four games and we go in knowing it’s a home game and will hopefully perform as we know we can,” Wilson explained.

“They are a side we lost to last season so we definitely want to put that right but we’re under no illusions that we are playing a fully-loaded Leinster. It would be a huge scalp to take.

“They are a tough team to play, whether home or away, but we have to take some confidence from Glasgow and Edinburgh at home which were good wins, and Munster, who you can also put in that bracket as a top-end side.

Lock Ian Nagle starts his first Guinness PRO12 game for Leinster, with experienced second-row Devin Toner on the bench.

Rory O’Loughlin starts alongside Noel Reid for the first time this season, with Garry Ringrose dropping out of the match-day squad.

And experienced lock Toner is wary of Blues, especially considering their win over Munster at Irish Independent Park.

“If you look at the talent in the Cardiff squad there is no surprise that they are where they are,” Toner told the Irish Independent.

“They have come into the season all guns blazing.

“This Cardiff team have already beaten Munster away from home and Glasgow at home so they know what they’re at and have an excellent coach in Danny Wilson.

“I think it’s going to be a good game, and a fast track on the artificial surface.”

Cardiff Blues: 15 Matthew Morgan, 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Tom James, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 Sam Warburton, 5 Josh Turnbull, 4 George Earle, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Gethin Jenkins (c)

Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Steve Shingler, 23 Dan Fish

Leinster: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Rory O’Loughlin, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Johnny Sexton (c), 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Rhys Ruddock, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Dan Leavy, 5 Ian Nagle, 4 Mick Kearney, 3 Mike Ross, 2 James Tracy, 1 Jack McGrath

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Michael Bent, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Jamie Heaslip, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Barry Daly

Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record:
Played 26, Blues won 5, Leinster won 19 and 2 games drawn.

At BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm. Live on S4C and TG4
Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU, 64th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Frank Murphy (IRFU), Ian Davies (WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Gwyn Bowden (WRU)
TMO: Neil Paterson (SRU)