Adam Jones returns to the Liberty Stadium for the first time on Sunday and he knows Cardiff Blues are in for a ferocious derby battle.

Wales prop Jones swapped Ospreys for the Blues this summer, only to see his former employers shoot to the top-end of the GUINNESS PRO12 table with five straight wins.

Cardiff are seeking a first win since the season’s opening weekend, when they beat Zebre 41-26, most recently salvaging a 24-24 draw at Connacht.

They also have just one win at a fellow Welsh region in their last dozen encounters and are without a victory at the Liberty Stadium since December 2005.

Head coach Mark Hammett has made four changes for the derby with Jones returning to the starting line-up and Geraint Walsh making his full GUINNESS PRO12 debut on the left wing.

The other two changes come in the back row, where Josh Turnbull is recalled and Josh Navidi is handed a start at No.8, while last weekend’s try scorers Macauley Cook and Sam Hobbs both start from the bench.

“We need to raise our game from where we have been so far this season,” said Jones, who spent 11 seasons with the Ospreys.

“Ospreys lost a lot of players in the summer but their recruitment has been good and the youngsters are coming through. There is a strong game plan at Ospreys and it's a tough thing to play against and they're a hard side to beat.

“We want to go down to Swansea and get a result so it should be a huge game. We're all excited about it and our first derby of the GUINNESS PRO12 season.”

Cardiff’s toughest task may well be breaching an Ospreys defence that has conceded 15 points or fewer in each of their GUINNESS PRO12 clashes this season.

The hosts have also won their last five fixtures at the Liberty Stadium and avoided defeat at the hands of a fellow Welsh region in the league since head coach Steve Tandy took charge in February 2012.

Tandy himself makes a handful of changes from the side that edged past Zebre last weekend, with Alun Wyn Jones coming into the second row to captain the side.

In the back line Andrew Bishop starts at outside centre and Eli Walker replaces Hanno Dirksen on the left wing, while there is much change in the back row.

James King switches to the blind side as Sam Lewis comes into replace Joe Bearman, while Dan Baker takes Morgan Allen’s No.8 shirt to complete the pack.

“Derby day at the Liberty Stadium is always something special and it'll be no different on Sunday,” said Tandy.

“Make no mistake about it, the Blues will come here looking for the win and believing that they can do it. There's real quality throughout their squad, players who can hurt teams from anywhere, so we know that we'll have to be switched on from the first whistle and be at our very best.

“It looks like there'll be a very good crowd there so we can expect a good atmosphere. Our supporters have been brilliant this season, the way they've got behind the team, and I wouldn't expect it to be any different on Sunday.

“Derby matches come with all the additional baggage for supporters and that'll make a huge difference to them.”

At Liberty Stadium, 4pm. Live on S4C/Nuvolari
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 43rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell, Gwyn Morris (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Dennis Jones (WRU)
TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU)

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