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OPPOSITION
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Son of former Welsh international Andy
Allen, the Newport born number eight has
provided the Scarlets with the powerful ball
carrying option that they had been craving.
After recovering from a ruptured bicep,
which kept him side-lined for ten games,
Allen finally made his PRO12 debut with a
brace of tries and has appeared for the West
Wales region in every game since; making a
telling impact from the back row. At 6’ 1” and
weighing over 18 stone, the 25 year old has
deceptive pace and is a difficult player to
stop once he gets a full head of steam!
Parkes was an innocuous signing for the
Scarlets ahead of the 2014-15 season, but
has since become one of the Scarlets’
most consistent and impressive players,
regularly a candidate for Man of the Match
and a receiver of the accolade on several
occasions. The centre, recruited from the
Super Rugby franchise, Eastern Province
Kings, is uncompromising in defence and a
potent attacking threat, often taking several
defenders to bring the Kiwi down. Captaining
the team today, Parkes is capable of playing
in the centre or on the wing, possessing
a reliable boot that gives the backline an
addition kicking option.
Canada’s stand-out performer in the Rugby
World Cup, claiming tries in each of their
pool games, the South African born flier is
no stranger to the try line. The winger, who
signed for the Scarlets from fellow PRO12
competitors Glasgow Warriors ahead of
the 2015-16 season, has scored 6 tries in
9 appearances for the Welsh region and
doesn’t show signs of stopping. A constant
threat in the wider channels, van der Merwe
is also regularly found hunting the ball off his
wing as an additional strike runner for the
Scarlets half-backs.
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HADLEIGH PARKES
MORGAN ALLEN
DTH VAN DER MERWE