Scarlets boss looking for six of the best

Five wins out of five have already earned his side a spot in the last eight of the Heineken Cup. Davies knows a final victory over London Irish at Stradey Park this weekend will confirm a position as one of the top four seeds and a date at home in the quarters.

“Over the last 10 or 11 seasons it has become a massive competition. I feel it is the biggest club competition in the Northern hemisphere,” said Davies. “I’ve always said it is the Champions League of rugby. It’s what makes the competition so special.”

The Scarlets are one of only three teams with a 100 per cent record so far along with last season’s finalists Munster and Biarritz. Unsurprisingly that success, with tough away wins in Toulouse and Ulster, has led to the Stradey team being tipped as possible winners of the tournament.

“We want to make sure we get a home quarter-final first of all for lots of reasons; for our fans and commercially as well as for the players,” said the coach.

“We know we are in a competition which is the best of the best and we know there are some fantastic teams left in this competition, but we’re in a good position with a good rhythm going into the quarter-final.

“We know what a good side London Irish are, I know that from my time coaching Leeds and I also know their coach Brian Smith well, so we know to expect a tough game.”

Llanelli Scarlets: M Stoddart; D James, R King, G Evans, M Watkins; S Jones, D Peel; I Thomas, M Rees, C Dunlea, A Jones, S Macleod, S Easterby (capt), G Thomas, A Popham

Replacements: K Owens, D Manu, V Cooper, D Jones, C Stuart-Smith, C Thomas, D Daniel


London Irish: Team selection unavailable at present