Gareth Maule: In for Jonathan Davies
Scarlets coach Simon Easterby has made two changes to his starting XV for Saturday's Heineken Cup clash with Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.
The Scarlets' equal top try-scorer this season, Andy Fenby, returns to the line-up on the wing after recovering from a dead leg with Gareth Maule in a centre partnership with Scott Williams to replace the injured Jon Davies (groin).
Easterby makes no changes up front - backing the same pack that delivered a strong, brave and committed first 40 minutes in last weekend's defeat to Clermont.
New second-row signing, Argentinean international Tomás Vallejos, comes onto the bench with the opportunity to earn his first appearance in a Scarlets jersey and first experience in the Heineken Cup. Second-row Sione Timani is ruled out with a minor knee injury.
Morgan Stoddart is free to play after a double yellow carding last weekend and is on the bench for this match.
Easterby said the Scarlets were looking forward to the challenge and intensity of playing Heineken rugby on home soil this weekend and while they took first blood in the first of their four encounters with Leinster this season, the battle on Saturday would be a huge step-up from last time out.
"We can't read too much into our first result, we know that Leinster will come here with a renewed intensity and ambition not least because it's Heineken Cup second round but they are the holders of the European Cup and showed last week against Exeter that they won't give up that crown without a fight," he explained.
"Our games against Leinster are always highly competitive and tightly fought contests and we know that after our fortunes in France last week, we need to get a result here this afternoon to maintain a grip on our European campaign.
"The boys have had an excellent attitude this week. After the bitter frustration last weekend in France and a lot of tired and bruised bodies - the work ethic in training, coupled with the effort and commitment they've shown from Monday morning to pick themselves up and re-focus on this huge game as been significant.
"With four players making their Heineken Cup debuts last weekend, Samson Lee, George Earle, Joe Snyman and Richard Kelly there was no lack of edge, spirit, courage or determination from the boys and we can take confidence from our opening 40 minutes.
"This is a must win game for us but one that is still firmly in our grasp. I have no doubt it will be another great Scarlets European occasion and we'll be delighted to welcome crowds of supporters from across our region."
Meanwhile, Gordon D'Arcy returns to the Leinster starting line-up to earn his 209th cap for the province.
The inside centre, who is now the most capped Leinster player of all time having overtaken Shane Horgan in his last game three weeks ago - and will also incidentally equal Horgan's European record appearance tally (87 caps) - is one of two changes to the starting line-up that defeated Exeter in the opening round.
Fergus McFadden switches to the wing and is named in a back three alongside Isa Nacewa and Ian Madigan, who will again wear the number 15 jersey.
Jonathan Sexton meanwhile, who links up with Eoin Reddan at half-back, is just one point away from passing the 350 point mark in European competition.
The other change to the starting XV sees hooker Sean Cronin, a second-half replacement last weekend, make his 30th appearance in a front-row where he is joined by fellow Ireland internationals Cian Healy and Mike Ross.
Leo Cullen leads the team and is named again alongside Galway's Damian Browne at second-row, with Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin again forming the back-row unit.
The teams:
Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Gareth Maule, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Josh Turnbull, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 George Earle, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Shaun Hopkins, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Tomas Vallejos, 20 Jon Edwards, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Morgan Stoddart.
Leinster: 15 Ian Madigan, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Isa Nacewa, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Damian Browne, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Andrew Conway, 23 Fionn Carr.
Date: Saturday, October 20
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Kick-off: 13.35 BST (12.35 GMT)
Referee: Greg Garner
Comments
new_j4a says...
@GCP_JONES and Toulousain, this scum sincero is not just showing a lack of tact. He is a racist bastard who expresses his bigoted views on this site, and to follow Franz Fannon's lead, I fight fire with fire. Sorry, if you don't like it, skip it. And with respect to Carpelone's pig, I enjoy a little wrestle in the mud....I used to play prop, and since in this virtual world, I cannot catch the scum sincero in a dark corner of a ruck, humiliating him will have to do.
Posted 13:07 21st October 2012
Toulousain says...
@new_j4a. mon ami, we have talked about this. remember carpelone and his pig wrestling analogy? i think the world has figured out that you and sincero don't see eye to eye (and we mostly probably don't know why or when it started exactly? and who is more in the right, or more in the wrong, who is in one persons camp or the others, if there can even be such a thing? but we do see your manners and how you treat each other and it's not pretty!)
both of you are able to make very insightful rugby points, with dashings of humour and irony, but you are kryptonite to each other. maybe you should just avoid being on the same comments page, or should skip over each other's contributions, or should have a public reconciliation, if that can be arranged?
meantime, please keep posting the rugby stuff because you both know a lot that is worth reading. it would be a shame imo if we started having to skip over your posts and missed any good stuff. and always remember, we all say things we don't really mean from time to time, or play to a perceived audience with provocative remarks. it's just for fun right. let's not take things too seriously.
peace?
(or failing that, please don't attack me for trying to be a humble broker)
Posted 22:05 20th October 2012
GCP_JONES says...
@new_j4a....
he can lack a certain amount of tack. But take this as constructive criticism, the tone that you express in your post's, you would'nt see much difference. You can get your point across without the vitriol?
Posted 17:53 20th October 2012
Nicholas41 says...
An excellent chance to assess potential Lions number 10s for Warren Gatland.
If he watches Toulon tomorrow, that is...
Posted 15:00 20th October 2012
melkdave says...
@Crunchfit
Agree with you about Madigan,he isnt what id call a potential world class FB,,but he is a potential class FH.or inside centre.Myself ive always thought F.McFadden,would probily make a FB,he isnt quite good enough as a FH ,hasnt the pace of a top class winger,and hasnt the defence of a top class center,But if he bulks up a little,he has the skillset to be a class FB,Good under the high ball ,good passer/,and although not blitzing pace ,a far amount of gas,for joining the line from deep,and an awarness of whos around him ect.But someone at the IRFU sees it differently(remember they own the irish clubs ,so have a big say ) ,so Madigan plays FB
Posted 10:00 20th October 2012
new_j4a says...
@GCP_jones, you are right, but I can't help myself with this bigoted scum sincero....do you just skip over his stuff and leave it to the eye gougers to encourage him....or do you throw up and move on?
Posted 08:39 20th October 2012
crunchfit says...
Madigan at 15? I don't get the supposed logic behind it. A friend of mine met a certain Irish coach a couple of weeks ago and apparently, Madigan is marked as a future 15 for Ireland. In my opinion, if this is true, it just shows the embarrassing lack of foresight among the current Irish set-up. I wonder if that has an influence on his recent positioning within this Leinster team. It was a strange decision to put him there in the first place and an even stranger one to keep him there for Pro12 games, let alone these HCup games, given his sub-par performance, particularly when you consider his performances at 10.
Posted 21:10 19th October 2012
curates_egg says...
Yup. Based on form, head-to-heads and venue, it is hard to go against Scarlets. They went to one of the toughest rugby venues last weekend and more than acquitted themselves until having Stoddart sent off.
@dodgyrog I would prefer to see Nacewa play in position too but I would not be so dismissive of Madigan's attacking from deep. He is a very good linebreaker and passer - all of which we have seen every time he played this season. Nacewa just has more nous counter-attacking from full back. However, the last thing in the world I would want to see is Fionn 'no tackle' Carr on the wing against George North, so please spare us the thought. Schmidt has picked an away team to counter a strong running attacking team - hence Nacewa and McFadden out of position.
Still wonder if it will be enough to keep us in the hunt come the last 10 mins.
Posted 17:45 19th October 2012
GCP_jones says...
@new_j4a...
Now Now, I thought we'd spoke about your lack of diplomacy before?
Posted 15:56 19th October 2012
paddy91317 says...
my prediction...........we will see a different Leinster with a weeks more time to prepare and a wake up call last week will have done them the world of good. scarlet's are very good though, Conway is to light on his wing to defend against north so its a good thing he is missing for this one. I say it will be the game of round two
Posted 15:50 19th October 2012
Rosbif says...
agree with you leinster_goy. if cullen, heaslip and healy play at 80% of their potential, and the rest of the pack get inspired by them, leinster have a chance. but if those three play below 50% like they did last week, it's going to be a tough day's tackling out wide for those backs. also, i'm wondering why nacewa isn't at 15, carr on the wing and madigan on the bench?
melkdave. spot on. the asm result last week was flattering for them to say the least. scarlets were well in that game until half time. having said that, asm might just catch exeter on the break so-to-speak. soak up a lot of pressure for long periods. be really good without the ball etc etc. then pounce on the counter attack with sivi + nalaga. it's classic away-team stuff and asm are more than capable of doing it. in a funny way, the "pressure" of being the home side, and having done so well last week vs leinster, might just get into exeter's minds... we'll see!!
good luck to all this weekend :-)
Posted 15:19 19th October 2012
dodgyrog says...
dont think it helps leinster to have madigan ay full back, put nacewa there and carr on the wing, leinster like to attack from deep and nacewa is a better option
Posted 15:05 19th October 2012
new_j4a says...
go Scarlets. Do the business.....just so we can all have a laugh at that scum sincero.
Posted 14:44 19th October 2012
GCP_jones says...
@ Leinster Goy...
I have to agree with you yet again, squeaky bum time. I was wondering what the bookies would give for Leinster to win the Aimlin Cup in the RDS come May, Well we are at home :-).
If we can and its a fairly Big If Win to-morrow I'd settle for 3 Nil at this stage, we would have Kearney, Fitzgerald and Seanie in the mix for the back to backs in December.
and Melkdave....
I think there will be a few surprise results this weekend and I would'nt be surprised if Exeter win which would and I think we'd all be in agreement be a victory for the true values of our sport.
Posted 14:39 19th October 2012
froggy73 says...
If the Scarlets play as well as they did last week before they were shown a red card, Leinster are gonna face a very tough challenge there. In anyway, Leinster will have to increase the level of their game massively compared to last week.
Posted 14:31 19th October 2012
leinster_goy says...
it might be only matchday 2 but i think that if Leinster lose this, they are effectively out of the HEC. a big performance and a win is crucial. a season-defining game, one might say
the key is to get the upper hand on scarlets up front, then their dangerous backs will be starved of possession. scarlets traditionally have a weak pack, so it all depends on the Leinster forwards stepping up to the plate. given that they are at full strength, bar the Tullowminator, they have no excuse for not performing. squeaky-arse time, guys
Posted 14:00 19th October 2012
melkdave says...
To be honest i think the Scarlets played pretty well last weekend ,up until Stoddart got sent off.They where competative in all departments and threatening.I also just cant shake this feeling that Scarlets will win this weekend and win quite well by 10-12 points,so far ive not bee impressed with Leinster at all ,in the league or any match Anyway hope my gut is right as it would open up this group big time ,espically if Exeter can get a result ,which imo isnt beyond them ,by any stretch of the imagination.,just have to be more direct ,and offload a tad quicker.
Posted 12:48 19th October 2012