Two big derby games to come for Scarlets

The Scarlets will close the 2013-14 season with two derby games at Parc y Scarlets against Newport Gwent Dragons and Cardiff Blues on Friday 2nd May and Saturday 10th May respectively.

The Scarlets will be determined to turn the tables in their favour and finish the season on a positive note having not secured a victory in a Welsh derby so far this season.

Scarlets hooker, and try scoring at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, Ken Owens understands the enormity of the challenges ahead; “We have two big derby games to come.

“We know we’re good enough to win them if we turn up and cut out the error in our game. That’s our biggest problem at the moment.”

Despite crossing the whitewash for an important try in his side’s clash against Cardiff Blues at the Millennium Stadium after a solid individual performance Owens was on the losing side; “We could have snatched it in the end but all in all we weren’t good enough for the 80 minutes before.

“We have to take a long hard look at ourselves. We gave them far too much quick ball. We were chasing shadows at times. We were better in the second half but not good enough.

“We have to work over the next fortnight and put it right.”

Scarlets Head Coach Simon Easterby praised his hooker’s performance; “Ken was outstanding; he showed how much wearing the jersey meant to him.

“He had a battle up front but I thought the scrums were fairly even. Ken against Smiler at the set piece was always going to be a challenge but Ken was outstanding in the loose and has been for us all season.”

The losing bonus point against the Blues will go a long way to supporting Scarlets’ top six finish hopes but coach Easterby knows that his side has a lot to perfect in the coming weeks; “I’m frustrated and disappointed that we didn’t show more positives in our game and a lot of that was down to ourselves.

“We’re a far better team than we showed.”