Scarlets keen to finish season on a high

With European Champions Cup rugby and sixth spot in the RaboDirect PRO12 already secured the Scarlets will be keen to finish the season on a high as they take on fellow Welsh region Cardiff Blues in the final derby, and final game of the domestic season at Parc y Scarlets, Saturday 10th May, kick-off 6.30pm.

A victory against the Blues on Saturday evening will ensure a fitting send-off to two career Scarlets in Jonathan Davies and Josh Turnbull as they bid a fond farewell to the region to seek new challenges for the 2014-15 season and will see the Scarlets retain an unbeaten home record in 2014.

Scarlets Head Coach Simon Easterby has made five changes to his starting line-up from the side that secured victory, and European qualification, over Newport Gwent Dragons last Friday evening. Steven Shingler moves from fullback to partner captain Jonathan Davies in the centre with Liam Williams making a return to the fullback berth after a two week ban.

Rhodri Williams is handed a start at scrum half with Gareth Davies moving to the replacements bench. Two changes in the pack see Johan Snyman replace the injured George Earle in the second row with Aaron Shingler coming in to the backrow for John Barclay who has undergone routine surgery on his shoulder.

Simon Easterby said: “It’s important that we’ve secured European rugby, we’ve shown in patches that we’ve been very good. It was vital that we got that top sixth birth, but we want to finish the season on a high.

“The Blues are full of confidence at the moment, they beat us a couple of weeks ago and can’t get top 6 but they can spoil the end of the season for us. There’s nothing worse than playing 80 minutes of rugby and not being able to do anything about it for 3 months. We really have to buy in to getting a performance this Saturday.”

An emotional finish to the season will see the Scarlets bid farewell to Jonathan Davies, Josh Turnbull, Aled Thomas, Deacon Manu, Nic Reynolds as well as Danny Wilson and Brad Harrington. Easterby went on to say: “They’ve been a real big part of what we’ve done over the last few years, it’s tough leaving a club especially when that’s all you’ve known in your senior career.”

Scarlets team to take on Cardiff Blues at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday 10th May, kick-off 6.30pm;

15 Liam Williams, 14 Kristian Phillips, 13 Jonathan Davies ©, 12 Steven Shingler, 11 Jordan Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Rhodri Williams, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Johan Snyman, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 Aaron Shingler, 8 Rob McCusker

Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Rob Evans, Rhodri Jones, Richard Kelly, Sione Timani, Gareth Davies, Olly Barkley, Gareth Maule