Scarlets v Leinster, Parc y Scarlets
(7.35, live on TG4, Premier Sports, URC TV)
Once upon a time matches of this ilk were commonplace where frontline players were otherwise occupied and replaced by youthful promise. The fact that the United Rugby Championship (URC) hibernates during the November Test series and for five of seven weeks in the Six Nations leaves less scope to delve deeper into the roster.
This match is a throwback, illustrated by several new faces from a Leinster perspective: Tadhg McElroy, Charlie Tector, and Ben Brownlee are set for their debuts, having been named among the replacements. Dundalk-born hooker McElroy signed a short-term deal with the province having returned from playing club rugby in England.
He made his senior debut for Lansdowne as an 18-year-old — is back playing with the club now — and is a former Irish underage international. Outhalf Tector and centre Brownlee were team-mates on Richie Murphy’s Grand Slam-winning Under-20 team last season.
Related to Harry Tector, who is excelling with the Ireland T20 cricket team in Australia, Charlie offered an unflappable presence at outhalf during the Six Nations and, having recovered from a broken ankle that forced him to miss the summer Under-20 tournament in Italy, is back playing with Lansdowne.
Brownlee, who started his rugby in the Wanderers minis and was a decent striker with Mount Merrion Boys, has already played with Leinster A this season. He is strong and quick with good footwork.
Fit-again Kearney
UCD’s Chris Cosgrave is named at fullback and will win his third cap, while Rob Russell, a try-scoring replacement in the victory over Munster, will line out on the right wing to accommodate Dave Kearney, the latter fit again after an adductor muscle problem.
Charlie Ngatai returns to the midfield having been rested from the matchday squad last week and is partnered by Liam Turner, an Under-20 Grand Slam winner in 2019. The visitors have the comforting presence and quality of last weekend’s man of the match Luke McGrath and Ross Byrne at halfback.
John McKee will make his first start of the season at hooker; the former Methody prop has understudied Dan Sheehan in the absence of the injured Ronan Kelleher and James Tracy.
The back five in the pack is experienced, athletic and contains in-form players. Jason Jenkins has made a very impressive start to his Leinster career, while Ross Molony has been consistently excellent. Rhys Ruddock, having hit all his return-to-play markers, will captain the team.
Scott Penny, a try scorer, was one of Leinster’s best players against Munster, while Max Deegan, another with a high-quality contribution the last day, switches from blindside flanker to number eight.
The Scarlets welcome back two Welsh internationals, wing Tom Rogers and flanker Aaron Shingler from injury but have lost halfbacks Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow and hooker Ken Owens to the national squad. Gareth Davies isn’t too shabby a replacement at scrumhalf while Dan Jones (outhalf) and Daf Hughes (hooker) also come in.
Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel has made five changes to the side that lost their way in the second half at the Sportsground when going down 36-14 to Connacht last weekend. He said: “People will obviously doubt us against Leinster, but it’s a great opportunity for us to have a go at them.
“We understand what is coming here. We know they are a quality outfit and have strength in depth. They are well-coached and well-drilled. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, but we are confident we can get among them and try and upset them.”
Smart back three
The statistics back up the bookmakers, who make Leinster eight-point favourites. The Scarlets have won just one of their last eight matches and it is a little over four years since the Welsh side last beat Leinster. The key for the home side is to try and establish some sort of platform that allows them to rigorously test out the visitors’ defence under the high ball and in the wider channels.
They have enough pep in their back three in the form of Johnny McNicholl and Ryan Conbeer, along with the experience of former Lions and Wales centre Jonathan Davies to cause problems if given a platform.
This match represents a golden opportunity for some of Leinster’s young players to demonstrate an aptitude to not only excel at this level but that that they can do so among some of their peer group. If the weather plays comes good, then it could be an open entertaining tussle — with Leinster likely to justify their favourites tag and claim a seventh straight victory.
Scarlets: J McNicholl; T Rogers, S Evans, J Davies (capt), R Conbeer; D Jones, G Davies; S Thomas, D Hughes, H O’Connor; J Price, T Price; A Shingler, D Thomas, S Kalamafoni. Replacements: S Evans, K Mathias, W John, M Jones, I Shenton, A Hughes, R Patchell, C Baldwin.
Leinster: C Cosgrave; R Russell, L Turner, C Ngatai, D Kearney; R Byrne, L McGrath; E Byrne, J McKee, T Clarkson; R Molony, J Jenkins; R Ruddock (capt), S Penny, M Deegan. Replacements: T McElroy, M Milne, V Abdaladze, B Deeny, M Moloney, N McCarthy, C Tector, B Brownlee.
Referee: A Piardi (Italy)
