This Storm Emma-delayed GUINNESS PRO14 top of the table clash is certainly worth the wait as Leinster and the Scarlets, two of the best sides in Conference B, go head-to-head for the second time in the space of three weeks.
GUINNESS PRO14: Friday, March 9
SCARLETS (2nd, Con B) v LEINSTER (1st, Con B), Parc y Scarlets, 7.35pm (live Sky Sports Action)
Team News: The original fixture was scheduled for last Saturday but with Dublin Airport closed due to Storm Emma, the Leinster squad were unable to travel and the game was rescheduled for Parc y Scarlets tonight.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is able to call on the services of a number of returning players, while some others have been released from Ireland camp to line up in blue. There is a welcome return for Sean O’Brien, who also captains the side at openside flanker, having recovered from a hip injury.
The fit-again O’Brien, who has not played since December, is joined in the back row by Josh Murphy and number 8 Jack Conan, a recent Six Nations debutant who got game-time against both Italy and Wales.
In the front five, twin brothers Ed and Bryan Byrne again start together with Michael Bent, one of the province’s centurions, at tighthead, while Ross Molony is joined in the second row by Australian international Scott Fardy, the scorer of three tries in his last three games for Leinster.
In an unchanged back-three, Dave Kearney lines out at full-back with Barry Daly on the right wing and James Lowe on the left. The centre pairing features Noel Reid and Rory O’Loughlin, while Ross Byrne returns in the number 10 jersey alongside Nick McCarthy, who touched down twice against the Southern Kings.
Leinster Academy scrum half Charlie Rock is in line to make his first appearance of the season off the bench, with the replacements also including recent debutant prop Adam Coyle and Skerries youngster Ciaran Frawley, who scored 24 points in his first two senior outings for the province.
Meanwhile, former England international Tom Varndell is set to make his Scarlets and PRO14 debut this evening. He slots straight in as back-line cover having signed on a short-term contract from Bristol earlier this week.
Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac has made just one personnel change to the back-line that started the 34-10 bonus point win over Ulster last time out, with Ryan Conbeer replacing Corey Baldwin, who has returned to the Wales Under-20 squad for their U-20 Six Nations clash against Italy.
Two changes in the pack see loosehead prop Phil Price getting his first start in a Scarlets jersey with Dylan Evans unavailable due to illness. James Davies’ selection for Wales, winning his first cap on Sunday, sees Will Boyde line up at number 8 with Josh Macleod moving to the openside flanker berth.
SCARLETS: Tom Williams; Ioan Nicholas, Paul Asquith, Steff Hughes (capt), Ryan Conbeer; Dan Jones, Jonathan Evans; Phil Price, Ryan Elias, Werner Kruger, Steve Cummins, David Bulbring, Tadhg Beirne, Josh Macleod, Will Boyde.
Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Rhys Fawcett, Simon Gardiner, Josh Helps, Lewis Rawlins, Declan Smith, Ioan Hughes, Tom Varndell
LEINSTER: Dave Kearney; Barry Daly, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, James Lowe; Ross Byrne; Nick McCarthy; Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Sean O’Brien (capt), Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Adam Coyle, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Charlie Rock, Ciaran Frawley, Adam Byrne.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Simon Rees (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Scarlets to win: 13/5; Draw: 14/1; Leinster to win: 3/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster) – “You’ve got to look back at that (recent) game at the RDS because Scarlets were very good and they caused us a lot of problems. So this is a massive game in terms of defining the leaders’ spot in our conference.
“Scarlets were excellent in the latter quarter of their (34-10) win over Ulster. Ulster got off to a flyer but Scarlets are very good at home and ended up going on to get the bonus point victory. We know how tough they are at home – we haven’t won over there in a number of years.
“We realise the threat they have, particularly around the ruck, and it’s a big focus for us this week. Tadhg Beirne has been exceptional for them, he’s got a lot of turnovers from disrupting lineout mauls but also on the ground. It’s a big focus of ours this week to make sure we don’t lose that breakdown battle.”
Wayne Pivac (Scarlets) – “That was a true bonus for us (against Ulster). We went in to that game with some pressure on boys to win. We’ve got a very proud record at home and that was up for grabs.
“After conceding that try early we did what we needed to in terms of staying in contact with them. We took our opportunities really well I thought and getting the bonus point was really pleasing.
“After this game is played and we get the internationals back. It’s the run-in in both competitions and it’s a really exciting time. Leinster have a lot of threats, we know that, and we’re going to have to be on our game to get a result.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Scarlets – Points: Dan Jones 79; Tries: Johnny McNicholl 6; Leinster – Points: Ross Byrne 96; Tries: Barry Daly 9
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Scarlets – Played 16, Won 12, Lost 4, 59 Points; W 57-10 v Southern Kings (home), W 41-10 v Zebre (away), L 27-20 v Ulster (away), W 28-8 v Edinburgh (home), W 36-27 v Connacht (home), W 19-18 v Ospreys (away), W 30-17 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 20-8 v Benetton Rugby (home), W 34-30 v Southern Kings (away), L 28-21 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 12-9 v Ospreys (home), W 14-11 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 47-13 v Dragons (home), L 22-12 v Benetton Rugby (away), L 20-13 v Leinster (away), W 34-10 v Ulster (home); Leinster – Played 16, Won 13, Lost 3, 62 Points; W 39-16 v Dragons (away), W 37-9 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 31-10 v Southern Kings (away), L 38-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 21-13 v Edinburgh (home), W 23-17 v Munster (home), W 25-10 v Ulster (away), L 31-21 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 54-10 v Dragons (home), W 36-10 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 34-24 v Munster (away), W 21-18 v Connacht (home), W 38-7 v Ulster (home), L 29-24 v Edinburgh (away), W 20-13 v Scarlets (home), W 64-7 v Southern Kings (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, October 16, 2015 – Scarlets 25 Leinster 14, Parc y Scarlets
Friday, November 6, 2015 – Leinster 19 Scarlets 15, the RDS
Friday, November 25, 2016 – Scarlets 38 Leinster 29, Parc y Scarlets
Saturday, March 4, 2017 – Leinster 45 Scarlets 9, the RDS
Friday, May 19, 2017 – Semi-Final – Leinster 15 Scarlets 27, the RDS
Saturday, February 17, 2018 – Leinster 20 Scarlets 13, the RDS
MATCH FACTS:
– The Scarlets beat Ulster 34-10 a fortnight ago to reverse a pair of away defeats, to Benetton Rugby and Leinster, in rounds 14 and 15
– The Welshmen have won their last 18 home games in the GUINNESS PRO14 since Munster won at Parc y Scarlets in September 2016
– Leinster’s only two defeats in any competition since September both came on away trips to Scotland in the PRO14, while their only loss in their last six trips to Wales was when they visited Llanelli in round 9 last year
– The last eight encounters between the two sides have been evenly split with four wins apiece
– Leinster’s most recent victory at Parc y Scarlets was on the opening weekend of the 2013/14 season
This website uses cookies.
Read More