MADEJSKI REPEAT REQUIRED!

 

MADEJSKI REPEAT REQUIRED!

By Helen ‘Helzbach’ Davies

It was just over a year ago, but it proved to be one of the best matches of the season for both the Scarlets team and fans alike. The trip over the Severn Bridge was made worth while by a hard-fought victory and probably the only match last season where I’d lost my voice (before half time!) in the electric atmosphere of the Madejski Stadium.

With a winning margin of just 2 points, it was one of those games where hearts are in mouths, and penalty kicks are peeped at through hands, if you’re brave enough to actually watch! Sometimes, it’s easier to deal with a huge losing margin, rather than an odd point separating the teams.

Hopes are high for a repeat performance on Sunday, when the Scarlets once again travel up to Reading for the second round of the LV=Cup against a strong London Irish team, with a South Sea Island flavour!

Many of the players who played starring roles in the win against Leeds last Saturday are included on the team sheet for this Sunday’s game, with other players like Jonathan Edwards and Andy Fenby making a welcome return from injury.

Phil John is just one of three Scarlets captains this weekend, with Matthew Rees continuing as captain of the National team and popular prop Deacon Manu given the honour of captaining Fiji.

Let’s hope the continuing confidence in the current Scarlets squad will ensure the supporters travelling back to South Wales will be reminiscing about tries galore, rather than sitting in silence!

 

Scarlets starting XV v London Irish, Madejski Stadium, Sunday 14th November 2010 kick-off 2.30pm: 15 -Daniel Evans, 14 -Lee Rees, 13 -Nick Reynolds, 12 -Scott Williams, 11 – Lee Williams, 10 – Dan Newton, 9 – Martin Roberts, 1 – Phil John (capt), 2 – Emyr Phillips, 3 – Peter Edwards, 4 – Aaron Shingler, 5 – Dominic Day, 6 – Jonny Fa’amatuainu, 7 – Johnathan Edwards, 8 – Ben Morgan.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Rhodri Jones, Simon Gardiner, Damian Welch, Nic Cudd, Gareth Davies, Steven Shingler, Andy Fenby.