Scarlets spirit set to seize opportunity in big Belfast semi-final

The Scarlets travel to Ulster on Friday night for their RaboDirect PRO12 play-off with their minds firmly fixed on stepping up for their very best performance this season.

The Scarlets may go into their first encounter of the knockout phases of the RaboDirect PRO12 as underdogs against an impressive and award winning Ulster side this season; but the challenge of overcoming the league leaders at home is a position the travelling Scarlets team will relish.

After 22 rounds of the competition, the Scarlets have achieved their target set out at the start of the season of being one of the four teams from twelve to go forward to the knockout phase in the quest to find the RaboDirect PRO12 champions of 2012/13.

The Scarlets will take confidence from a series of big away wins over the course of the league season including results on the road in Glasgow, Munster, Edinburgh and Connacht.

The Scarlets expect a big battle knowing that top seeds Ulster spent 15 of the 22 rounds leading the table, and having slipped down to third during March, bounced back up to lead for the final three rounds.

The Ulstermen have lost just one of their last six encounters in the competition against Edinburgh in late March 8-14. Their only defeat to a Welsh region was against the Ospreys in February 12-16.

The Scarlets had won five games in a row in the competition before their defeat to Treviso last Friday. Ulster have won five of their last six contests against the Scarlets – the West Wales region’s last victory over the Irish province came in October 2011 at Parc y Scarlets 24-17.

Simon Easterby said: “All that happened last week against Treviso has been firmly put to bed now. We are one of four teams that have 80 minutes of rugby in front of them to prove their ability and battle for a place in the final.

“This is where we wanted to be this season, we’ve achieved a top four finish, now we have to bring everything we have to this game to back up all the hard work we’ve put in throughout the season.”

Simon Easterby opts for just three changes to his match day squad from last weekend against Treviso; with Wales international outside half Rhys Priestland returning to the starting line-up after two appearances from the bench on his return from injury. Hooker Emyr Phillips replaces Matthew Rees on the bench (groin injury) and Gareth Owen comes onto the bench for Gareth Maule (thumb injury). Back row Rob McCusker who was withdrawn late against Treviso with a rib injury returns to captain his side.

Scarlets Team v Ulster; Friday 10th May 2013 kick off 7.45pm at Ravenhill 15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Rhys Priestland, 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: Emyr Phillips, Rhodri Jones, Jacobie Adriannse, Jake Ball, Sione Timani, Gareth Davies, Owen Williams, Gareth Owen.

The last time West Wales rugby held the trophy was in the Celtic League’s first season in 2004 however history lessons and memory lane have not formed part of the preparations this week from Head Coach Simon Easterby who lifted that trophy as the region’s captain.

He said: “Most of our players would have been young teenagers at that time, so I’m not sure that those great games are really very relevant. What we have looked at this week are games were the unexpected has happened; we’ll take strength from some of the big away wins we’ve achieved this season at tough grounds like at Munster, Glasgow and Connacht.

“We have played some good rugby to get ourselves to this position and some strong winning rugby at places we were not expected to win at and that’s our focus going into this game. We’ve used last Friday as a motivator to produce the sort of performance you’d expect from a top four side and from the Scarlets jersey.

“We have plenty to face in coming up against Ulster. They have been pretty much unbeatable this season and they are in the driving seat at home.

“What we have to bring is our commitment, ambition and desire to win. That has to be in body as well as mind and shown in our work rate and intensity on the field.

“Sides will be threatened by the players we put on the park, there’s a good mix in our team and we know the quality that key Scarlets players can bring to our performance.

“We’ll have a good travelling support out there who will get behind us and make their voices heard. We want to give them a performance they can really cheer about after the disappointment of our final home game.

“It’s going to be a huge night for us as Scarlets – we have this opportunity in front of us now and we’ll give it everything we have.”