Peel Hoping It’ll Be Third Time Lucky

Llanelli Scarlets scrum-half Dwayne Peel has suffered quarter-final defeat at Stradey twice in the past and is hoping it can be a question of third time lucky against Munster on Friday.

The 25 year old who has starred for Wales and the Lions played in the 26-19 home defeat to Perpignan in 2003 and in the 27-10 reverse, against Biarritz Olympique the following season. But Peel and his colleagues are treating Friday’s game as the first of three European finals in their quest to put the disappointments of the past to bed. “We have had some disappointments in Europe in recent years, but those defeats will only spur us on to better things,” he told Western Mail writer Andy Howell. “It’s a big ask for us to reach a first Heineken Cup final, but it’s something we are definitely up for. And that is why this game will be treated as the first of three finals that we have to play if we want to win the title.”

“We’ve had a good campaign so far, and played some good rugby along the way,” he continued, “So it a shame to let all that good work slip away now. We’ve put ourselves in a great position to push on, although we realise Munster is a huge challenge.

“We realise Munster is a huge challenge. They are the reigning champions but there is no better place to than Stradey on a packed European night and it’s an occasion we will all relish.”

And while most talk centres round the much vaunted Llanelli backs, Peel paid particular praise to the Scarlets pack, “They destroyed the Ulster pack at Ravenhill and I think they will do a great job for us on the night against Munster.”

To win on Friday Peel believes the Scarlets must, “bring our best game of the season to Stradey. “After going away to places like Ulster, Toulouse and London Irish and getting maximum points in the pool stages, we know what we are capable of.”

The Scarlets have won the last four meetings at Stradey Park, including a 25-12 victory in November, while Munster’s last triumph came in the 2002-03 campaign.