Pivac: ‘Opening month of PRO12 campaign critical’

Following the announcement of the 2016-17 Guinness PRO12 fixtures Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac has said that the opening month in the campaign will be critical for his side’s hopes of reaching the play-offs come the end of the season.

Scarlets open the 2016-17 campaign at Parc y Scarlets against Munster on Saturday 3^rd September, followed by two away journeys to take on Edinburgh and Ulster returning to the Parc for round 4 against reigning champions Connacht.

Commenting on the draw Pivac said: “As every team knows it is critical to get off to a good start. It’s great for us to have a home game first up and last up! Munster were our last opposition at the end of last season, so we know a lot about them. The first month is critical to the rest of the season.

“We finish the opening block before the first rounds of Europe with a Welsh derby against Dragons at home before going straight into Cardiff Blues away after the Champions Cup. If Europe doesn’t toughen us up for a big derby nothing will.

“Blues were a major part of why we didn’t make the top four last year so we will want to improve on our performances against them this season.”

New for the forthcoming 2016/17 season, Championship organisers have designated six ‘Big Weekends’ across the season that will comprise of special intra-union derby matches. The ‘Big Weekends’ will include the double header Judgement Day spectacular as well as end of season derbies between the Welsh Regions.

Pivac went on to say: “The final game of the regular season will be a big crunch match depending on how teams have performed during the season. They’re great games whatever time of the season we face each other with a lot of tradition and rivalry.

“Throw into the mix the fact that it’s the last game of the season and it’s a thrilling encounter. If the last two seasons are anything to go by we’ve still had it all to play for in the last round. We’re expecting it to be a tight campaign yet again.”