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Quick Ball The Scarlets Key ?

18th September 2009 By Munster Rugby

Quick Ball The Scarlets Key ?

Quick ball and how referee Alain Rolland referees the breakdown is the key to the outcome of this evening’s Magners League match at Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli according to Nigel Davies the Scarlets coach.

“The big challenge against Munster is the physicality and the contact area.” he says in todays Western Mail, ” We want to play with quick ball. We’ve started to show people what we are capable of when we do create quick ball and they will want to stop us doing that.”

“The breakdown is going to have to be refereed.” he warns. “It is a major factor in the game and we have got to be careful that it doesn’t become a dangerous area as well.

“If it is not refereed properly it can be a dangerous place to be.” he concluded.

In his interview with Mail reporter Simon Thomas, Davies made a lot of reference to the importance of physicality but he also highlighted the importance of discipline, an aspect of the Scarlets game he believes must improve following on from yellow cards to Simon Easterby last week and two in the league opener against Leinster for prop Rhys Thomas and flanker Richie Pugh. ” We simply cannot afford to have players off the field,” he said, “it’s unacceptable no matter who does it.”

Thomas found himself dropped by Scarlets for the incident in the Leinster game that saw the former Dragons prop brought up in front of a WRU Disciplinary Committee. They decided the yellow card he received was sufficient punishment for his offence on Shane Horgan that was in essence a flying head-butt.

Davies admitted, “The incident didn’t look great on first sight,” and confirmed, “it is not something we would encourage,”  which is certainly very good news for those who face Roberts and Co in the future.

For tonight’s game Scarlets will be without Stephen Jones and Matthew Rees but other than that, show their strongest selection while Peter Stringer’s late withdrawal provides Tomas O’Leary with the opportunity for some game time off the bench.

Munster: Felix Jones; Doug Howlett, Barry Murphy, Lifeimi Mafi, Denis Hurley; Jeremy Manning, Toby Morland; Julien Brugnaut, Damien Varley, John Hayes; Donnacha Ryan, Mick O’Driscoll capt; Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy. Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Billy Holland, Tommy O’Donnell, Tomas O’Leary, Scott Deasy, Tom Gleeson.

Scarlets: Daniel Evans;  Sean Lamont,  Gareth Maule,  Jonathan Davies,  Mark Jones capt;  Rhys Priestland,  Martin Roberts;  Iestyn Thomas,  Ken Owens,  Rhys Thomas;  Lou Reed,  Dominic Day;   Simon Easterby,  Dafydd Jones,  David Lyons. Replacements:  Phil John,  Emyr Phillips,  Deacon Manu,  Vernon Cooper,  Richie Pugh,  Lee Williams,  Dan Newton.

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