Llanelli Scarlets v Leinster

[An Tarbh]

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Scarlets v Leinster

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So a game that could go a long way to deciding the eventual winners of the Magners League, a win for Leinster and it should be all over bar the shouting, a win for the Scarlets and a big win at that and it's wide open especially considering how difficult Leinster's next few fixtures are.

It's by no means plain sailing for the Scarlets on their run-in which makes the win here all the more crucial and preferably with a bonus point.

Deacon Manu misses out through suspension and Simon Easterby is still out with a knee injury. Mark Jones comes back into the side which will be led by Dwayne Peel.

For Leinster Malcolm O'Kelly looks set to become the all time record caps-holder alongside Leo Cullen, also set for his own personal landmark of 100 appearances for the province.

So what's it to be then, Leinster to all but put the seal on the ***le with a 9th successive win or the Scarlets to make it 6 in a row at home and keep the race well and truly alive???

Scarlets: Morgan Stoddart; Dafydd James, Regan King, Gavin Evans, Mark Jones; Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel©; Phil John, Mahronri Schwalger, Bruce Douglas, Lou Reed, Scott MacLeod, Dafydd Jones, Gavin Thomas, Alix Popham.
Replacements: Ben Broster, Matthew Rees, Adam Eustace, Nathan Thomas, Gavin Cattle, Ceiron Thomas, Matthew Watkins.

Leinster: TBC

 

[ScarletLion]

Come on Scarlets. Its a 10 pointer this. Could eb a cracker.

 

[Sir Speedy]

It should be a cracker. Leinster will want to get revenge after our humiliation of them in the Autumn, and of course they'll want to seal the Magners League with this win. Llanelli by 10.

 

[An Tarbh]

Don't know if it'll be a cracker, it'll be tense and gritty I'd imagine, probably only a score in it at the end

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

LEINSTER:

15: Rob Kearney
14: Shane Horgan
13: Michael Berne
12: Felipe Contepomi
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Chris Whitaker

1: Ollie le Roux
2: Bernard Jackman
3: Stan Wright
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Malcolm O'Kelly
6: Stephen Keogh
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Brian Blaney
17: Cian Healy / Stephen Knoop
18: Trevor Hogan
19: Cameron Jowitt / Keith Gleeson
20: Chris Keane
21: Christian Warner
22: Girvan Dempsey

It's an interesting selection. Despite being fit, Dempsey is on the bench. Even though he may not be fully match fit, it would have been easy to shift Fitzgerald to 13 and Kearney to 11 to make room for Girv. It seems as though his time as a starting Leinster player (when everybody is healthy) is nearing it's end. In my opinion Berne is in the team to stunt Regan King's ability.

Good to see Sexton get a run at flyhalf with Contepomi alongside him. It lends Leinster a better attacking threat while also allowing for a more tactical approach through the boot if required.

All in all, I'd be relatively happy to leave Stradey with a bonus point (and denying the Scarlets four tries) though hopefully Leinster aim for victory. For Leinster to steal a win they'll have to win the forward battle and deny the Scarlets outside backs the ball. They're capable of it but it would be very, very tough. I think the Scarlets will win by 5 to 10 points.

 

[An Tarbh]

Berne always gives me an uneasy feeling whenever he's in the side, got away with it last week but it's a step up in class this week.

 

[Vambo]

Well... I'm hoping the Scarlets claim the victory but I think Leinster might have enough in the locker to edge out a hard fought win.

 

[RC]

This is gonna be one helluva game. Crucial for everyone (barr leinster) that Scarlets win this, becuase the ***le is as good as won if Leinster take that game.

 

[An Tarbh]

This is gonna be one helluva game. Crucial for everyone (bar leinster) that Scarlets win this, becuase the ***le is as good as won if Leinster take that game.
[/b]

well here's hoping, one crucial thing this season has been our performances in Wales, 3 for 3 now with the Dragons to come on the final day. Can certainly breath a little easier now that one is out of the way.

 

[shtove]

Didn't see the second half. Leinster had great organisation on the pick and go - very impressed. And Kearney is getting better and better. Whittaker had one horror of a pass from a scrum and put everyone under pressure.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Leinster weren't that great, yet were there better team by far, which shows how pathetic our performance was. We were dire, perhaps our worst game all season (following, ironically, our best game all season). Everyone except Dafydd Jones played terribly for Llanelli, and Matthew Rees broke the gainline on regular occasions when he came on.
Ahh well, enjoy the trophy Leinster.

 

[RC]

Wow, that was a horrifically terrible performance by the Scarlets. Undoubtedly their worst game of the season.
It's just a shame that there won't be a close run in for the ***le this season.

 

[An Tarbh]

Wow, that was a horrifically terrible performance by the Scarlets. Undoubtedly their worst game of the season.
It's just a shame that there won't be a close run in for the ***le this season.
[/b]

I wouldn't be so sure of that, we've still got Munster and Edinburgh away to come plus Munster have a game in hand so it's by no means done and dusted yet.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotemain'>
Wow, that was a horrifically terrible performance by the Scarlets. Undoubtedly their worst game of the season.
It's just a shame that there won't be a close run in for the ***le this season.
[/b]

I wouldn't be so sure of that, we've still got Munster and Edinburgh away to come plus Munster have a game in hand so it's by no means done and dusted yet. [/b][/quote]
It remains to be seen what sort of team Munster put on the field. The clash in the RDS comes just a week after their HC match against Gloucester and Kidney may view the derby as the most opportune time to rest his frontline players.

I think Leinster have the beating of Munster at home and should do the double over the Dragons. Edinburgh away will be a difficult fixture.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Wow, that was a horrifically terrible performance by the Scarlets. Undoubtedly their worst game of the season.
It's just a shame that there won't be a close run in for the ***le this season.
[/b]

I wouldn't be so sure of that, we've still got Munster and Edinburgh away to come plus Munster have a game in hand so it's by no means done and dusted yet. [/b][/quote]
It remains to be seen what sort of team Munster put on the field. The clash in the RDS comes just a week after their HC match against Gloucester and Kidney may view the derby as the most opportune time to rest his frontline players.

I think Leinster have the beating of Munster at home and should do the double over the Dragons. Edinburgh away will be a difficult fixture.
[/b][/quote]

regardless of what team Kidney puts out at the RDS we should beat them, same applies for all our remaining games, they're games we should be winning but this is Leinster we're talking about here so it's never plain sailing.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

regardless of what team Kidney puts out at the RDS we should beat them[/b]

I agree but it would be easier if Leinster were facing Ian Dowling, Frank Sheahan and Paul Warrick rather than Doug Howlett, Jerry Flannery and Ronan O'Gara! I'd like to see Leinster wrap things up against Edinburgh so the final two games of the season can be used to try new players and will fully allow everybody to express themselves.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotemain'>regardless of what team Kidney puts out at the RDS we should beat them[/b]

I agree but it would be easier if Leinster were facing Ian Dowling, Frank Sheahan and Paul Warrick rather than Doug Howlett, Jerry Flannery and Ronan O'Gara! I'd like to see Leinster wrap things up against Edinburgh so the final two games of the season can be used to try new players and will fully allow everybody to express themselves.
[/b][/quote]

I'd rather they were at full strength so they can't throw the excuse around, oh ye only beat the second string side, would have been a different story had we been full strength.

 

[shtove]

Previous five posts completely delusional. But the world needs dreamers, so God bless Leinster supporters.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Previous five posts completely delusional. But the world needs dreamers, so God bless Leinster supporters. [/b]

In no way, shape or form do I begrudge Munster their success. I hope they go all the way in the Heineken Cup and firmly believe they will. At this stage, it's obvious that their priority will be winning the HC more so than the Magners League. With that in mind, next weeks game comes as the ideal moment to rest players ahead of the Saracens clash (hopefully). It will be a tough task for Leinster no matter what XV Munster put on the field. However Leinster went to Musgrave Park and beat a good Munster side earlier this season. Leinster haven't lost in their last 10 games in the ML (including 9 victories). Momentum is with both teams but Leinster's home advantage should see them through.