Ulster Rugby vs Llanelli Scarlets

FAMILIARITY WILL BREED INTENT

FOR the fourth time this season Ulster and the Scarlets will meet this evening, and as in every contest so far there is much at stake.

but understandable that the defence coach is leaving in May to develop his career – Niall Malone and Allen Clarke have painstakingly stuck by their squad, and been repaid in spades. A drop into the fringe of the Top Four proved but a ’blip’, now Glasgow has Ulster at its shoulder in the title race. Mike McComish has taken his chance in the back row with some barnstorming and intelligent displays at flanker, embellished by the creation and scoring of vital tries. Craig Gilroy, the indomitable Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Rob Herring and skipper Roger Wilson have shown why they are in Ireland’s current plans with outstanding, skilful and passionate displays as the PRO12 pursuit is maintained, the accelerator pressed still further. And there are heartening signs that Nick Williams is rediscovering confidence, and Ruan Pienaar and Wiehahn Herbst have been simply world-class. Doak and his aides will – like Pivac – have thought long and hard about the make-up and tactics of the team this evening, but it’s a ‘given’ that with the league’s best defensive record and a proven attacking armoury to build on a win will be the initial target, anything better literally a bonus. It should be another packed Kingspan for what is genuinely one of the season’s most important games for Ulster, while for the Scarlets it will be an opportunity to confirm its own growing self-belief and send a signal to the rest in Europe that the famous, much-admired club is back on the march. Each of the three previous clashes this season between the clubs have been very different but always riveting affairs, and though it’s the players who must carry through the game plans there is an intriguing contest of wills and guile on the respective coaching panels. Pivac is a Kiwi with a proven track record in developing players and instilling organisation and allying that to the flair at his disposal. Neil Doak may be younger but he’s as thoughtful and innovative a rugby brain anywhere in the PRO12, and he has a wondrous patience which has served him well as he trusted his squad to overcome very different challenges. What he will want is overt intent this evening, energy, pace, power and skill channelled with discipline for the 80 minutes and more required to set the pace again at the top of the table. Murrayfield showed character, but the transgressions which meant just 13 men finished that game, defending a minute lead with wonderful purpose, will have been more than noted. There will have been a strict dictat that all involved must put themselves ‘on the line’ – not the touchline! As we enter the closing, nerve-jangling final furlongs towards the climax of the PRO12 this evening has the potential to be defining for both clubs. Enjoy the combat, applaud the application.

The Welsh club, so steeped in rugby lore, arrives at Kingspan Stadium buoyed by maintaining its unbeaten home record with last week’s high-scoring draw with Munster. Head Coach Wayne Pivac has seen his team move slowly into the top half of the PRO12 league table, and real lustre would be added to more consistent form recently with an away win over an Ulster side handily placed to challenge for the leadership with a victory tonight. These two famous clubs opened their campaigns with a free-flowing, try-laden 32-32 draw at Parc y Scarlets in August, and since then each claimed home wins in the European Champions Cup. Those games were played within a week in December, and effectively knocked each other out of contention for a knock-out spot in the competition. That meant Pivac and his counterpart Neil Doak had the Guinness PRO12 upon which to concentrate fully, and if the expectation levels were higher here in Belfast the Llanelli side knew that with a gifted, young squad, a good late ‘run’ in the league, and some confidence-building performances in the Anglo-Welsh LV Cup, the hopes of a real trophy challenge next season could be cemented. So this last weekend in February – as fans relish the fascinating third round of Six Nations clashes over the weekend – the palate of Ulster and Scarlets supporters would be beautifully prepared with vital PRO12 points. The internationals, of course, mean that both squads are being mined deeply in search of a win, and with Jared Payne, Tommy Bowe, Rory Best and Iain Henderson almost certain to be involved against England in Dublin on Sunday, Ulster might appear to be hardest hit by calls. But the Scarlets’ superb winger Liam Williams has forced himself into the starting line-up against France, Samson Lee is restored to a first-choice front row, and the hugely talented Scott Williams is on the Welsh bench as three- quarter cover, and out-half Rhys Priestland’s presence on the touchline will be a reminder to Dan Biggar that the No. 10 jersey is very much still up-for-grabs. Doak has quietly, impressively, fashioned a bonus point home win over Treviso, and a gritty, characterful victory in Edinburgh last weekend as the Six Nations demands demonstrate so starkly how clubs must have not numbers for a squad, but quality performers. Steven Shingler showed at out-half for the Scarlets against Munster that his boot can be a huge influence, and Hadleigh Parkes and Kristian Phillips would be certain starters at most clubs. And in the lineout, were the visitors will hope for at least parity, that setpiece ambition will be bolstered by the availability of Wales lock Jake Ball, determined to instantly reclaim his spot in the national side. And the evidence over recent weeks for Ulster fans is that any doubts about the talent in the group of current players have been dispelled, unwise speculation in the media swept away. Doak, Jonny Bell – and how disappointing

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