Llanelli face big challenge

Llanelli's season is in danger of becoming one dimensional, especially if they lose next Saturday's Heineken European Cup meeting with Munster at Stradey Park. At the weekend the Scarlets narrowly beat Saracens at home but in giving up a couple of bonus points to their English visitors, it denied them a place in the EDF Energy semi-finals.

If the Scarlets lose to Munster at the weekend then their tenuous grip on a continued interest in Europe would be effectively wiped out, leaving them with just the Magners Celtic League to concentrate on. Coach Phil Davies is well aware of the ramifications for his team and the context of the Munster game, a repeat of last season's European Cup quarter-final in which the Scarlets prevailed.

Davies admitted: "Whatever you want to call it - the reality, or the long and the short of it - the simple fact is that we have to win all our remaining games, starting with Munster at Stradey Park on Saturday evening.

"Playing Munster was always going to be a huge challenge but now, in the position we find ourselves in, it is an even bigger challenge. What we have to do is approach the match with confidence and the commitment to get the job done.

"In the remaining rounds of the Heineken Cup we are playing three great sides with the back-to-back matches against Munster first up. We are really looking forward to that - and then the return meetings with defending champions Wasps and finally Clermont at home.

"It is great that the series starts at Stradey because each of the remaining Pool games are real cup finals for us if we want to be in the mix for qualification for the knock-out stages."

Llanelli have yet to earn a point in this season's campaign and will be aware that no team that has lost their opening two matches in Europe has gone on to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Davies acknowledged: "We have been disappointed and frustrated with our performances so far in this season's Heineken Cup but we are most certainly not downbeat and we accept where we are in the pool and that we just have to get on with things.

"We cross paths quite regularly with Munster and we have huge respect and regard for them both as they go about their business and what they stand for - which basically is everything that is good in rugby.

"But while we do know them well from frequent meetings, and they know us just as well, it is great to be playing them at European level for only the second time because both teams think so much of what is a really wonderful tournament.

"As everyone is well aware, Munster have an exceptionally strong unit up front through their lineout and scrum and can play a great kicking game through Ronan O'Gara - one of the best in the world at doing that. But they are also a lot more than that and, with Lifeimi Mafi in the centre in particular, their game has developed and there is a nice balance and mix about what they do."

Davies pointed out that the Scarlets are a work in progress and won't stray from the patterns which they are trying to develop.

"As far as the Scarlets go, we are intent on playing with plenty of pace, movement and tempo but we are only in the early stages of trying to develop a game that could bring us success in the next five years or so - a game to suit all occasions."