The West Wales region welcome the Irish side to Parc y Scarlets – where they have not lost in the league since December 2013 – on Sunday. The Scarlets are five points and two league positions off sixth, which is currently occupied by this weekend’s opponents.
But Earle is taking it one game at a time as they attempt to make a charge up the table, he said: “You can’t get ahead of yourself. The only thing we’re focusing on is Connacht. If we beat Connacht then the next game and the next game we can climb that ladder and be in the top six.”
Scarlets have lost the last four games, two in the European Rugby Champions Cup and two in the LV= Cup, since beating Ospreys at Parc y Scarlets in early January.
Earle went on to say; “We have been tweaking things we can improve on. The coaches have mentioned certain aspects we can work on and it shows if we focus on small things we can play better rugby.
“I think the guys have played really well at home. It’s always in the back of your mind that you perform well at home – it’s extra motivation. The fans have been outstanding and have really pitched up for games.”
And Earle reckons once the West Wales region break into the top six, they will be a good bet to reach the end of season playoffs. He said: “We can’t relax and take it easy if we get to sixth position. I think we deserve at least the top four – I know it’s a bit far fetched at the moment but that’s something we need to aim for.”