CELTIC CUP FINAL READY FOR KICKOFF
Scarlets director of rugby Gareth Jenkins has made just one change to the team that produced surprise wins over Welsh rivals the Dragons and Celtic League champions the Ospreys on their way to the Dublin showdown.
Former skipper Vernon Cooper will add his considerable weight, 18st 4lb to be precise, to the Scarlets second-row in place of the younger and lighter Adam Jones while fit-again Tongan wing Salesi Finau returns to the bench. Yet while there were few raised eyebrows at his selection, Jenkins believes the Scarlets will have to match Munster’s ruthless efficiency rather than unpredictability as they aim to spoil the leaving party for Alan Gaffney.
“Munster haven’t played with that much ambition this year but they are a side who we have always had huge respect for,” said Jenkins. “They haven’t got the same kind of stars as Leinster but what they have got is fantastic efficiency. They play limited rugby particularly well.
“There’s also a real honesty within their team. You will never play a Munster team that is not 150 per cent for the cause. They always arrive with total committment and intensity. So we will need to be spot on in how we approach this game.
“We are aware that it will be Alan’s last game in charge of Munster. Cup finals are often about goodbyes and farewells and his departure is sure to be something Munster will use as motivation. Hopefully it will be a great occasion. We will have supporters making their way over to Dublin by whatever means possible while Munster’s fans always travel very well so hopefully there will be a reasonable crowd.”
The Scarlets blew aside a rapidly declining Dragons team 49-19 in the quarter-finals, thanks to a hat-trick of tries from centre Tal Selley who was subsequently rewarded with the call-up to the Wales squad to tour North America this summer.
They then clinched a dramatic 23-15 victory over local rivals Ospreys following a late try by Gavin Quinnell, the 21-year-old younger brother of British Lions and Wales legend Scott.
“Now it would be wonderful to win the Celtic Cup and end the season with silverware but we are quite clear that this is still only a short-term success. We need to build for the long-term future. However we have had great success in the lower age grades, our semi-professional side last week won the Welsh Cup and now we could win the Celtic Cup. For all the disappointment this season it is not as bad as it could have been.”
Among the players Jenkins has kept faith with, to be led by Ireland flanker Simon Easterby, is 21-year-old outside-half Ceiron Thomas who will make only his third senior start.
Munster squad: Shaun Payne, John Kelly, Mike Mullins, James Storey, Brian Touhy, Rob Henderson, Anthony Horgan, Paul Devlin, Ronan O’Gara, Paul Burke, Jeremy Manning, Peter Stringer, Mike Prendergast, Marcus Horan, Eugene McGovern, Frank Sheahan, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Alan Quinlan, David Wallace, Anthony Foley, capt, Jerry Flannery, Gordon McIlwham, Trevor Hogan, Denis Leamy
Scarlets: B Davies; G Evans, M Watkins, T Selley, A Havili; C Thomas, D Peel; P John, M Rees, J Davies, V Cooper, C Wyatt, S Easterby (capt), G Thomas, A Powell Replacements: D Maddocks, A Gravelle, A Jones, G Quinnell, M Phillips, G Bowen, S Finau
Referee: Joel Jutge (France)
