Scarlets v Edinburgh, 28 March

         
Scarlets   v   Edinburgh Rugby
Saturday 28th March 2015
KO 14:40
Parc y Scarlets

Live on Sky Sports 1

Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 43rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Chris Williams, Martyn Lewis (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Ray Wilton (WRU)
TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU)

Head to head

23 Played 23
11 Wins 11
1 Draws 1
59 Tries 42
477 Points 461
25 Av. age 25

League position

P/W/D/L/Points

Connacht     17 9 1 7 43
Scarlets      17 7 3 7 40
Edinburgh    17 8 1 8 39


Teams

Scarlets

15 Jordan Williams
14 Harry Robinson
13 Regan King
12 Scott Williams
11 Hadleigh Parkes
10 Steven Shingler
09 Aled Davies

01 Rob Evans
02 Ken Owens (c)
03 Peter Edwards
04 Jake Ball
05 George Earle
06 Lewis Rawlins
07 James Davies
08 John Barclay

16 Emyr Phillips
17 Phil John
18 Jacobie Adriaanse
19 Jack Payne
20 Rory Pitman
21 Gareth Davies
22 Rhys Priestland
23 Michael Tagicakibau

Edinburgh

01 Rory Sutherland
02 Stuart MacInally
03 WP Nel
04 Anton Bresler
05 Ben Toolis
06 Mike Coman (c)
07 Hamish Watson
08 David Denton

09 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
10 Greig Tonks
11 Tim Visser
12 Andries Strauss
13 Phil Burleigh
14 Tom Brown
15 Jack Cuthbert

16 Neil Cochrane
17 Grant Shiells
18 John Andress
19 Fraser McKenzie
20 Roddy Grant
21 Nathan Fowles
22 Tom Heathcote
23 Sam Beard

Blurb

Must win game for both teams here. Connacht are away to Munster so there is a real chance to even things up in the league.  Edinburgh could have been leading the race by this stage but some inconsistent performances have left them playing catch up.  Scarlets have been playing well, with a recent win over Leinster.

A win for Edinburgh and we're right back in it, a loss and it we really will be struggling.

Player wise Edinburgh should have pretty much all the Scotland Internationals available, but need to balance the squad due to the impending Challenge Cup knock-out rounds meaning we don't have a week's rest after this game like a lot of teams will have.

I think we'll see all of the Scotland players back bar Dickinson and Ford.  Sutherland and Cochrane/McInally have played well in their absence so that shouldn't affect us too much.

Likely Edinburgh team:

1 Sutherland
2 McInally
3 Nel
4 Bresler
5 Toolis
6 Coman
7 Watson
8 Denton

9 Hidalgo-Clyne
10 Tonks
11 Visser
12 Burleigh
13 Scott
14 Fife
15 Cuthbert

Subs - Shiells, Cochrane, Andress, Atkins, Grant, Hart, Heathcoat, Strauss


That should hopefully be enough to give this game a good crack anyway.

Don't think Heathcote will be fit, I doubt we will see him again this season actually, especially as he is off. Probably will see Te Rure on the bench.

BigGee wrote:Don't think Heathcote will be fit, I doubt we will see him again this season actually, especially as he is off. Probably will see Te Rure on the bench.

You are probably right, but I was just hopeing that my non-selection of Te Rure would mean that it might actually happen...

We have all our welsh boys back and some are on fire atm. Were at home and have had a good run of form lately so a win is a must for us. Hopefully we will see the following team becuase they can do the job:
1. Rob Evans
2.Ken Owens
3. Peter Edwards
4. Jake Ball
5. Joe Snyman
6. John Barclay - more likely to be Lewis Rawlins
7. James Davies
8. Rory Pitman - more likely to be John Barclay

9. Gareth Davies
10. Aaron Shingler
11. Hadleigh Parkes
12. Scott Williams
13. Regan King
14. Harry Robinson
15. Liam Williams

16. Emyr Phillips
17. Phil John
18. Jacobie Adriannse
19. George Earles
20. Lewis Rawlins -  more likely to be Pitman
21. Aled Davies
22. Rhys Priestland
23. Jordan Williams

Strong team that - should be a cracker! The centre match up should be a tasty one, especially if Matt Scott rediscovers how to tackle.

Unless Aaron Shingler has had a radical positional switch, I'm assuming you meant Stephen 'Jock for life' Shingler?

Scarlets home record is phenomenal (unbeaten at home last year) so it will be bloody tough.

John Barclay will really, really want to play in this one. Neither Watson nor the Ginger Midget will want to face off against him either. He knows them both well. He has to figure he is back in the international reckoning given the national side's pathetic pack performance in the 6N.

for info, the game is being shown on Sky Sports 1

George Carlin wrote:Scarlets home record is phenomenal (unbeaten at home last year) so it will be bloody tough.

John Barclay will really, really want to play in this one. Neither Watson nor the Ginger Midget will want to face off against him either. He knows them both well. He has to figure he is back in the international reckoning given the national side's pathetic pack performance in the 6N.

I don't think he will

Either he or the SRU appear to have made his international days dissappear for good!

Kellybrows seems to still have a glimmer of hope though!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Strong team that - should be a cracker! The centre match up should be a tasty one, especially if Matt Scott rediscovers how to tackle.

Unless Aaron Shingler has had a radical positional switch, I'm assuming you meant Stephen 'Jock for life' Shingler?

Haha oops wrong Shingler. Yes, hopefully Steven will start ahead of Rhys because he deserves to with his current form and we need his to get some experience under his belt for next season as he will be our first choice 10.

Jhamer, I would go for that team too. Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Jhamer, I would go for that team too.  Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

To be honest, I would be gutted any time I was stuck in Norwich.

EWT Spoons wrote:for info, the game is being shown on Sky Sports 1

Hey! How have the Scarlets got a Saturday afternoon on Sky? When last years finalists are forced to play each other on a Friday night. Irish people can only watch the game on TG4.

It's a conspiracy I tell you. Disgusting corrupt decision from a joke of a league. Bloody leek and haggis eating bastids!

Sorry. Forgot to squeeze the words pathetic and excuse into the last post. Must try harder.

George Carlin wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Jhamer, I would go for that team too.  Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

To be honest, I would be gutted any time I was stuck in Norwich.

Too true.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:for info, the game is being shown on Sky Sports 1

Hey! How have the Scarlets got a Saturday afternoon on Sky? When last years finalists are forced to play each other on a Friday night. Irish people can only watch the game on TG4.

It's a conspiracy I tell you. Disgusting corrupt decision from a joke of a league. Bloody leek and haggis eating bastids!

No, its an Irish conspiracy. Your are getting your game on a Free-To-Air channel, leaving us Welsh and Scottish having to dip into our pockets in order to be able to see the game (either live or on the box).

George Carlin wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Jhamer, I would go for that team too.  Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

To be honest, I would be gutted any time I was stuck in Norwich.

Chunky? I didn't even know you fancied him...... either of you.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Chunky? I didn't even know you fancied him...... either of you..

Each to their own I say. There's nowt as queer as folk, perhaps Chunky is the meat in their sandwhich.

You can go off people Lord! Funny I never really linked Chunky with the place. I am going to have to keep an eye out for large lads (or lasses) in Scarlets tops when I'm there.

Anyway, this is going to be a key game for the euro-qualification.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Jhamer, I would go for that team too.  Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

Hoping the crowds are better. It's the most important game we've had because of qualification so i hope we can get a good atmosphere.

I'm in Benidorm if that helps ScarletSpiderman, so sadly im not going to be able to watch it either

Jhamer25 wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Jhamer, I would go for that team too.  Rhys may start instead of Steve though.

By the sounds of it tickets are selling well for this, I'm gutted I will be stuck in Norwich when this game is on.

Hoping the crowds are better. It's the most important game we've had because of qualification so i hope we can get a good atmosphere.

I'm in Benidorm if that helps ScarletSpiderman, so sadly im not going to be able to watch it either

The cheap tickets for mates of season tickets holders seems to be pushing up the tickets sales (or so I have heard). That should push up the crowd figures, and to be fair when ever we have done these deals before the atmosphere always seems better.

Enjoy your time in the sun boss.

Don't much like the idea of facing Scott Williams, King, Robinson and Liam Williams - suspect that will be too much for our defence.

We shouldn't have let Blake go to Glagsow, and should have deployed him here. According to Vern Cotter, Scott Johnson and Hugh Blake's Mum, he's better than John Barclay.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Don't much like the idea of facing Scott Williams, King, Robinson and Liam Williams - suspect that will be too much for our defence.

We shouldn't have let Blake go to Glagsow, and should have deployed him here. According to Vern Cotter, Scott Johnson and Hugh Blake's Mum, he's better than John Barclay.

have been impressed with Bar

I have been more impresssed with Barclay than Scotland's current squad back row players he can't do worse. I go with the Scarlets hoping Shngler starts at 10.

Barclay is certainly going to be well up for this - especially if playing against Hamish Watson.

I'm fairly sure he knows he's not going to get picked for Scotland any time soon, but he sure as hell will want to make a point by outclassing someone who has been.

Really hope we win this game. Could do with a boost after that 6 nations.

I'm going for a scarlets win (narrowly) with a MOTM performance from the outcast!

So if the Luvvies fluff their lines then is it time to get out the whetstone, breadknife and Bru's stones?

jimbopip wrote:So if the Luvvies fluff their lines then is it time to get out the whetstone, breadknife and Bru's stones?

Speaking of which, where is Mr Bru?? Seems to have been away from these boards awhile. Perhaps his new training contract has started and he's been locked away in a data room for 9 months. Happy days.

jimbopip wrote:So if the Luvvies fluff their lines then is it time to get out the whetstone, breadknife and Bru's stones?

Bru's stones are now so famous they have their own agent and are on Equity rates.

Regardless, I have re-mortgaged them on commercial transactions so many times now that he no longer owns them in a meaningful sense.

George Carlin wrote:

jimbopip wrote:So if the Luvvies fluff their lines then is it time to get out the whetstone, breadknife and Bru's stones?

Bru's stones are now so famous they have their own agent and are on Equity rates.

Regardless, I have re-mortgaged them on commercial transactions so many times now that he no longer owns them in a meaningful sense.

Didn't realise he was married....

Has Solomons forgotten there's a game tomorrow?? Where's the team sheet?

Announced at midday

Effiminates:
01 Rory Sutherland
02 Stuart MacInally
03 WP Nel
04 Anton Bresler
05 Ben Toolis
06 Mike Coman (c)
07 Hamish Watson
08 David Denton

9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
10 Greig Tonks
11 Tim Visser
12 Andries Strauss
13 Phil Burleigh
14 Tom Brown
15 Jack Cuthbert

16 Neil Cochrane
17 Grant Shiells
18 John Andress
19 Fraser McKenzie
20 Roddy Grant
21 Nathan Fowles
22 Tom Heathcote
23 Sam Beard

Scarlets:
15 Jordan Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Hadleigh Parkes, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens ©, 3 Peter Edwards, 4 Jake Ball, 5 George Earle, 6 Lewis Rawlins, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Phil John, Jacobie Adriaanse, Jack Payne, Rory Pitman, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Michael Tagicakibau

Packs should be pretty evenly matched.

Quality of the Scarlets backline, the strength of their bench and the fact they're playing at home really do point to them winning this, though.

Edinburgh as expected with the exception of Strauss coming in for Beard.

This is a mistake: (a) because Burleigh is a 12, one of our best players and now shoe-horned into the 13 jersey, and (b) because Strauss isn't very good at rugby.

On the positive side I'm pleased to see McInally at hooker, I like the half back pairing and I rate all the players on the bench.

Really can't fathom the selection of Strauss - but we've been saying that all season.

We need to try and gain ascendency in the pack because that Scarlets backline will rip us to shreds.

No Liam Williams?

I don't think we'll win this, but I agree that the key lies with the forwards and half backs. We cannot afford to gift cheap points to the Scarlets, which means keeping them pinned in their own half and applying pressure. I don't know much about Jordan Williams and Hadleigh Parkes but the rest of their backs can all play, so we need to look after possession.

I don't mean to be defeatist but I think their backs just have too much class, and I'm not convinced a pack containing Owens, Ball, Earle and Barclay is going to be tamed.

Parkes is pretty much a kiwi version of Gareth Maule, very solid centre who can and will do a job on the wing when needed.  He is definitely a commuter player who leaves it all on the pitch.

Jordan is the closest thing to a Shane Williams clone we have.  Started a fly half but moved to fullback or wing because he is so little.  He was dropped in the early part of the season for not being the best in defence, but has been working hard to sort that out too.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Parkes is pretty much a kiwi version of Gareth Maule, very solid centre who can and will do a job on the wing when needed.  He is definitely a commuter player who leaves it all on the pitch.

Jordan is the closest thing to a Shane Williams clone we have.  Started a fly half but moved to fullback or wing because he is so little.  He was dropped in the early part of the season for not being the best in defence, but has been working hard to sort that out too.

Hope so. Exciting runner.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Parkes is pretty much a kiwi version of Gareth Maule, very solid centre who can and will do a job on the wing when needed.  He is definitely a commuter player who leaves it all on the pitch.

Jordan is the closest thing to a Shane Williams clone we have.  Started a fly half but moved to fullback or wing because he is so little.  He was dropped in the early part of the season for not being the best in defence, but has been working hard to sort that out too.

Huh? From what i have seen of Parkes he is a lot better than Maule, not even comparable actually, unless the difference in quality is included in your use of the "kiwi" term.

Parkes has good feet, good first few steps acceleration and ability to beat defenders which Maule can only dream of.

Taken out in the air, yellow card according to the laws. Instead penalty to Scarlets

Hope this is not going to be a game of messy scrums!

Everyone try not to fall off their seats, but that was a lovely edinburgh try!

Great try Edinburgh

Great work by Burleigh and Visser.

What the Frak is the issue with restarts and scottish teams

Edinburgh actually doing well at the breakdown. John Who?

At a family doo so not able to watch this - Twitter says 5 pens against us in 18 minutes?

7 now in 22 minutes