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Scarlets Look To Pick Up The Pace

Scarlets Look To Pick Up The Pace

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Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins is hoping the three Welsh Premiership fixtures his side face over the next week will go some way to battle hardening his players before their Heineken Cup showdown with Perpignan at Stradey Park on Friday, 11 April.

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The Scarlets kick-off their week with a revenge mission at home to Ebbw Vale on Friday night (21 March, kick-off 7.00pm) and then host Caerphilly on Tuesday and Pontypridd next Friday.

‘We are looking to get some rugby momentum back into the players over the three games in the next week,’ said Jenkins.

‘It is important that the squad players realise they have a part to play in increasing the tempo. We have to play a particular style of rugby and we were disappointed in our form at both Ebbw Vale and Caerphilly, where we lost both Premiership games.

‘It is time for this team to start putting some shape and rugby into place. We have some good combinations playing against Ebbw Vale and the back five of our pack is very close to that which we are likely to take into the game against Perpignan.

‘We are still a bit disorganised behind the scrum because of international calls, but the three games will give the players a chance to regain some rugby rhythm.’

Ebbw Vale beat the Scarlets 20-8 on 21 December and will be seeking a rare double. Their form on the road, however, has been poor this season and their only away win in the Welsh Premiership came at Pontypridd.

With the club’s three scrum halves all on international duty – Dwayne Peel with Wales, Guy Easterby with Ireland and Michael Phillips with Wales Under 21 – Llandovery’s Rob Walters plays his third game at No 9.

Tongan international Salesi Finau reappears among the replacements after spending over three months on the sidelines with a knee injury, picked up in the Scarlets Heineken Cup away victory over Sale in December.

** Fans who go to Stradey Park on Friday night (21 March) will have a chance to snap up the final 500 tickets for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Perpignan. The French club returned almost 1,000 of their ticket allocation for the game.

There are 390 tickets left for the East Terrace (£12 adults, £5 juniors) and 123 for the North Terrace (£15 adults, £5 juniors).

The tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis and they are unlikely to last the night. You are advised to turn up at the ticket office at Stradey Park as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Llanelli: Barry Davies; Wayne Proctor, Matt Cardey, Tal Selley, Garan Evans; Neil Boobyer, Rob Walters; Phil John, Marcus Thomas, John Davies, Vernon Cooper (captain), Chris Wyatt, David Hodges, Simon Easterby, Scott Quinnell.

Replacements: David Maddocks, Aled Gravell, Luke Gross, Ian Boobyer, Adrian Williams, Salesi Finau, Jonny Lewis

Ebbw Vale: Mark Meenan; Nick Wakley, Rhys Shorney, Paul Matthews, Andrew Bevan; Scott Mitchell,Bryan Shelbourne; Adam Black, Leyton Phillips (captain), Martin Jones, Peter Sidoli, Neil Edwards,Chay Billen, Kati Tuipulotu, Tyrone Morris.

Replacements: Paul Jones, Jonathan Evans, Ockert Booyse, Paul Williams, Gareth Betts, Ed Binham, Aaron Takarangi.

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