Last season the newly appointed Director of Rugby was blessed with the midas touched as he turned the out-of-sorts Scarlets into European heavyweights in his first season in charge.
But second-season syndrome appears to have struck the former Llanelli skipper, already vetted as a future Wales coach, after watching his Heineken Cup heroes fade to zeros this term.
Four defeats in their last five games have left the Scarlets fighting to save their season before Christmas. The most recent loss, to Edinburgh, exposed the lack of experience within the Scarlets’ extended squad after successive heavy defeats, to Clermont Auvergne and Wasps, facing almost certain Heineken Cup elimination.
Now after losing to Bristol, their hopes in a third competition are on the line against Saracens in the EDF Energy Cup.
This Saturday at Stradey Park Davies must engineer a victory, while preventing the cosmopolitan Londoners picking up even a bonus point, not only avoid another early exit from the Anglo-Welsh competition, but prevent the slump becoming a landslide.
“You don’t last as long as Phil did at Leeds (ten years) and in the tough environment of the English Premiership without being able to handle the pressure. He was promoted and relegated from the Premiership so I think he knows how to cope with pressure,” said Scarlets Coach Paul Moriarty.
“We know we haven’t performed over the last four or five games but we are not panicking. We have looked at it, studied it and are working to put it right but now is not the time to start going off on tangents, starting something totally different and confusing people.
“We know what works for us as a squad as we are totally confident that we will turn the corner. But this is the great thing about rugby, it’s always a challenge.”
After their recent run of results, the Scarlets don’t so much need to turn the corner but perform a complete U-turn after conceding 12 tries in just two games in the Heineken Cup. A far cry from the enterprising rugby that lit up last year’s tournament.
“We’ve been showing a lot of effort and commitment but sometimes we just haven’t been thinking or showing composure when under pressure,” admitted Moriarty.
“You cannot fault anyone’s effort, but perhaps we have not had enough time to integrate all our international players after the World Cup. It’s just little things, but we are not getting the consistency as yet.”
Nevertheless, the return of Stephen Jones from the thigh strain that ruled him out of the Wales clash with South Africa will come as a huge boost on such an important afternoon while Nathan Brew is named in the 22 for the first time since October, alongside former Saracens prop Ben Broser. However, Dafydd James along with hookers Matthew Rees and Ken Owens remain unavailable through injury.
“This game (against Saracens) is vitally important. We targeted the EDF Energy Cup as a competition we could get into the final, if not win, and now we have the chance of reaching the semi-final,” said Moriarty.
“As much as we have the league, a semi-final would give us something very exciting to focus on to next March. But not only do we have to beat Saracens who are a very tough proposition right now, but we have to stop them coming away with a bonus point if we are going to progress.
“They will offer a similar challenge as Wasps but perhaps with more flair and variety. We knew Wasps would be very physical, but Saracens have that as well as more creativity behind. Players like Glenn Jackson and Andy Farrell are a real threat so it’s going to be very tough.”
The Scarlets have a new star of their own in 22-year-old fullback Morgan Stoddart who returns to Stradey after a Wales debut to remember, scoring a try and creating another against world champions South Africa.
“Unfortunately we missed the game because we were in the airport going to Edinburgh but we were delighted with the reports we got of his performance,” said Moriarty.
“He’s really come on with us over the past two seasons but he knows he still has a lot to learn. It’s up to him to work hard to make sure he stays on track.”
Scarlets: M Stoddart; M Jones, R King, J Davies, Garan Evans; S Jones, D Peel; I Thomas, J Hayter, D Manu, A Eustace, S Macleod, S Easterby (Capt), D Jones, G Thomas
Replacements: B Broster, D George, V Cooper, A Popham, G Cattle, R Priestland, N Brew
