Scarlets V Edinburgh

Scarlets

15 Li Williams
14 Reynolds
13 Maule
12 Warren
11 Fenby
10 Thomas
9 A Davies

1 John
2 E Phillips
3 Lee
4 Ball
5 Snyman
6 Shingler
7 Edwards
8 McCusker

(bench -: Rees, Rh Jones, Manu, Timani, Murphy, G Davies, O Williams, K Phillips)



Edinburgh

15 Tonks
14 Fife
13 Cairns
12 Atiga
11 Jones
10 Leonard
9 Rees

1 Jacobsen
2 Lawrie
3 Nel
4 Parker
5 Cox CAPTAIN
6 McInally
7 Watson
8 Denton

(Bench -:Titterrell, Yapp, Allan, McAlpine, Talei, Leck, Francis, Brown)

Referee: Giuseppe Vivarini (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Tim Hayes, Greg Morgan (both WRU)

Citing Commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU)

TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)


Scarlets' three game winning run in all competitions ended with their 5-32 reversal in Leinster on Saturday.

The Welshmen have won their last three fixtures at Parc y Scarlets since Clermont Auvergne won there, 29-0, in the European Cup on 19 January. Scarlets have won their last four home games against Scottish visitors.

Edinburgh Rugby have slipped to ten successive defeats in all tournaments - their worst run in the professional era.

Edinburgh's only win on their last 14 visits to Wales in all competitions since December 2009 was 21-19 over Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park in the RaboDirect PRO12 on 7 September 2012.

Scarlets have taken four of their last five encounters with Edinburgh, whilst the Scotsmen's only previous victory at Parc y Scarlets was 17-16 in the PRO12 on 4 December 2009.

Here'e the Edinburgh team. I'm saying no more about it untill we start showing some balls.

15 Greig Tonks

14 Dougie Fife
13 Ben Cairns
12 Ben Atiga
11 Lee Jones

10 Harry Leonard
9 Richie Rees

1 Allan Jacobsen
2 Steven Lawrie
3 Willem Nel
4 Perry Parker
5 Sean Cox CAPTAIN
6 Stuart McInally
7 Hamish Watson
8 David Denton

Substitutes
16 Andy Titterrell
17 John Yapp
18 Alex Allan
19 Robert McAlpine
20 Netani Talei
21 Chris Leck
22 Piers Francis
23 Tom Brown

Proabably a stupid question, but what happened to Isak Van de Westhazen (spelling is awful sorry)?

I am not overly looking forward to this game to be honest. It is one of those horrible ones where you should win, but a loss is still a realistic possibility. Aled Thomas coming in at fly half instead of Owen Williams is a bit of a shock as Owen Williams has played three very good games (at home), but apparently was not the best last weekend.

I am glad to see that we have some of our welsh lads back, and that Kris Phillips is only on the bench.

Izak van der Westhuizen was meant to be the better lock out of him and george earle. tp be fair george has done really well for us.

what's the score with netani talei? is he out of contract this summer? wouldn't mind if he signed for the scarlets.

same as spiderman i'm surprised easterby has broken up the halfback partnernship to bring aled thomas. also would have dale ford ahead of KP on the bench, seems to offer a lot more.

hoping for a win, but wouldn't be overly shocked if edinburgh took this one.

Injured, Spidey

pioden gorllewin wrote:Izak van der Westhuizen was meant to be the better lock out of him and george earle. tp be fair george has done really well for us.

what's the score with netani talei? is he out of contract this summer? wouldn't mind if he signed for the scarlets.

same as spiderman i'm surprised easterby has broken up the halfback partnernship to bring aled thomas. also would have dale ford ahead of KP on the bench, seems to offer a lot more.

hoping for a win, but wouldn't be overly shocked if edinburgh took this one.

I said that on friday when I was watching the Embra Hairsprays match.

ASBO - Cheers, I thought it had to be something obvious like that

talei does look like a unit, but not particularly fast. realistic signing if out of contract.

Yep, Talei is out of contract in the summer as is the Georgian no8, Basilia

I'm starting to think all the Edinbrugh chat of 'Young Gunners' and 'Bradley keeps faith in young gunners' is basically saying 'we're gonna lose - and we're getting our excuses in early!'

10 losses in a row is beyond embarrassing.

Talei will leave in the summer I think. He's been poor all season - the opposite of his storming form last season. He's lost interest and should move on.

The only question is by how much the Scarlets would win. I'd be very happy with a losing bonus point, but I just can't see it. There isn't any confidence in the side.

I read in The Times yesterday that Neil Backs wants the top job going forward. A disgusting thought.

Er. Who is Hamish Watson?

Sorry. But that's a serious question. Where's Roddy?

Roddy ruled out for the rest of the season. Watson is a young, small openside.

Thanks. I love to learn.

Ex- Leicester Tigers academy from memory, U20 last season

He scored for Edinburgh in the last match. I've seen him come off the bench a couple of time, small but tenacious. I suspect he'll become a decent club openside but nothing more.

A sort of Exeter-ish player.

Talei is one of those players whos the best thing since sliced bread if youre on the front foot, makes carry after carry, clean breaks, audacious offloads and ridiculous runs. But if the packs getting bullied, dont expect him to roll up his sleeves and put in a shift of grafting.

Tbh, as great as he has been in the past two seasons for us, the club has changed, and i just dont see a place for him much longer. I think we need to thank him for his service and let him move on. His stocks survived this shambles enough that he should easily find another club. Ditch butter fingers Basilia, and use their wages to being in a proper blindside flanker, not another number 8 "who can play 6" , not a lock whos not big enough to be a lock and not mobile enough to be a flanker, a proper blindside who doesnt hang about waiting to make a game changing break, and who finds no greater joy in life than tackling people. Basically a bigger version of Roddy Grant. Unfortunately theres not really any SQ ones around that arent established at bigger clubs, and the blindsides been a position in this years u20's where no ones been outstanding. Forresters doing well at Ayr, but I always saw him as an openside. Perhaps one of the Gala guys like Graham or Dods.

I don't mind basilia, I think he could have become a good option at 6.

Agree though that some toughness is needed in the pack. All too flimsy at present.

Interesting comments in the Scotsman this morning about Cairnsy's future - sounds almost like he is going to be offered a coaching job instead of playing??

I still think he's got it as a player - I'd give him at least another season. He's an Edinburgh boy through and through and has been such a good player for us.

Dave we could do some swapsies possibly?

Scarlets have too many natural blinsides on our books Turnbull, Mckusker and Shingler but no natural 8's or opensides. Our backrow is totally unbalanced playing 3 x 6's across it.

Denton for Turnbull?

Where's Rob Evans these days?

Very good start by Scarlets, The half backs have been near perfect so far, bombs are beautifully judged, passes slick and precise and both look dangerous.

Very nice try for the Scarlets. Looks like it'll be another long night for Edinburgh

Is anyone watching this on Alba? What on earth is this Bryan Esson (Edinburgh coaching staff) talking about? He keeps says everything Edinburgh are doing is great (eg; he just praised edinburgh for a kick chase that was not existent). Surely the club can't improve unless everyone involved gets a reality check.

10 losses on the bounce will hurt mind, maybe it's a coping mechanism?

Liam Williams what were you doing??? If in doubt just line up your man!!!

Well bit of fight in Edinburgh, well worked try

Just want to point out how classy does Rees look, delivery is lovely and he knows when to slow the ball down or go hell for leather!!

What are scarlets doing now? Just sheer idiocy at the breakdown last 10 minutes!!

Aled Davies delivery is sublime!!!!!

There's a surprise, Gareth Davies comes off the bench and plays really well. Did he sleep with Easterby's daughter and never call her again or something? Becuase Knoyle plays gash for two seasons and is still considered ahead of him.

Lee Jones is the worst rugby player in the history of humanity.

R Rees is a very good scrum half and shoould be on the bench for Wales.

Brilliant play by Richie Rees there

Scarlets have been terrible! If it carries on like this the game is there for the taking.

Cheap shot on Perry Parker there

What did Ball do? The commentators on the Red Button have said a few times he is going to be in trouble.

Bit of s shoulder charge into a ruck - Parker had to go off because of it

Thank you. Hes a massive lad, we really need some more aggressive 2nd rows in Wales. But i think he needs to pick his moments.

What the hell? He was on his own and on his feet and the penalty went against him??

3 missed penalty opportunities now :/

This ref is absolutely penalizing the crap out of us - never seen so many back feet offsides!

Getting dominated this half

Bloody lineout!!!

I'd hate to see the territory & possession stats for this second half

Our lineout has been a shambles - as always!

ref has really struggled, given the edge to Scarlets at the breakdown, but stolen 2 clear cut try scoring opportunities off them too.

Scarlets have been rubbish, Edinburgh should be dead and buried by now, but are fighting for their lives!!

Harsh call???

That was far too close for the Scarlets!

Better from Edinburgh but lineouts and penalties lost us that game.

And another clucking loss. 11 on the bounce. But fair play Scarlets, should have been out of sight if you could kick