Scarlets set for Pro 12 showdown at West Wales big Friday night fixture

The Scarlets will face Benetton Treviso for their last home game of the season on Friday evening with the chance of reaching their goal of a RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final still firmly in their grasp.

A thrilling evening of rugby entertainment awaits supporters in West Wales with plenty of activities in the Supporters Village and stadium planned before and after the match to celebrate the contribution of some great Scarlets who will be playing in front of a home crowd for the last time.

Scarlets will show their appreciation and respect to some of the region’s leading players at their last Parc y Scarlets game including Matthew Rees, Tavis Knoyle, George North and top try scorer Andy Fenby.

After their most recent win over the Cardiff Blues, the Scarlets are sitting in fourth spot in the league – four points clear of the Ospreys in fifth and can seal their place in the semi-final with a win over the Italian side in front of a vocal home crowd on Friday night.

With a rich vein of winning form behind them with nine wins from 10 and six home victories in a row, the Scarlets will take confidence from the momentum they’ve gained in recent weeks to spur them on in what promises to be a highly charged game.

Benetton Treviso have lost just one of their last six RaboDirect PRO12 contests: 3-28 to Ospreys in Swansea on 13th April. The Italians have a won four, lost three record against the Welsh regions in the PRO12 this season, with all seven games being won by the home side on the day.

The Scarlets have named an unchanged line-up to the team announced for the Blues with tight head prop Samson Lee back in the starting spot at Parc y Scarlets after having to be withdrawn at the last minute through illness last time out.

With the impressive impact the bench had in the Cardiff Blues game, Simon Easterby has brought back all 23 players back who took the Scarlets to victory at home against the Blues.

Scarlets Team v Benetton Treviso; Friday 3rd May 2013 kick off 7.45pm at Parc y Scarlets 15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Samson Lee, 4 George Earle, 5 Johan Synman, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Rob McCusker (capt).

Replacements: Matthew Rees, Rhodri Jones, Jacobie Adriannse, Jake Ball, Sione Timani, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Maule.

Forwards Coach Danny Wilson said the Scarlets may be favourites but will take nothing for granted with Treviso who tripped the West Wales team up in the reverse of this fixture earlier this season.

Danny Wilson said: “We have to be aware of what their threats are with their driving line outs and driving scrum. A lot of their game comes off their set piece play. We’ll have to combat that hard as well as the fact they have some dangerous runners so there’s plenty to threaten across the park. We just have to be tactically astute in this game.

“I’ve been pleased with the steel our forwards pack has shown in recent games and we really had an edge in the scrum against the Blues – we’re going to need to deliver that and more on Friday night to get where we need to be.

“There is plenty in this game for all our players, there will be a lot of emotion, ambition and expectation flying around so a highly charged game for everyone involved. But there’s no danger of us losing our focus. The players benefitted from a light week coming out of the Blues game with a break from matches last weekend and that allowed some recovery of battered and bruised bodies after the Welsh derby and to get our minds fit and fresh for this fixture.

“That’s meant we’ve been able to hit training well this week – there’s huge desire and ambition in this team to see all the hard work put in all season long really pay off, and importantly to reward our loyal supporters with a play-off place in the league.

“The focus is that we’re in control of our destiny and it will be a mark of the professionals we have in our side, their experience and commitment to their team that any emotion will be channelled into delivering the best performance we can on the field.

“This is effectively a Scarlets quarter-final and as players and coaches we’re looking forward to another night of vocal support from our home crowd. It was great for the Blues and lifted the players and if we can do that again one last time at home, it’s set to be a very memorable night for everyone at Parc y Scarlets on Friday night.”

A big night of regional rugby entertainment awaits supporters at Parc y Scarlets with the Supporters Village opening at 5.30pm with a rugby festival, Voice of the Scarlets Hanna Morgan singing to lift the crowds pre-match, Cochyn’s Parade, half time TAG rugby show and winning Scarlets Girls Rugby presentation plus fireworks and a player presentations on the pitch after full-time whistle. The Supporters Village will open again at 9.35pm with 2p off every pint of draft post match to celebrate every point scored by the Scarlets.