URC: Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, Saturday, 5.15 – Live on RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports
Welsh rugby is setting all sorts of wrong records these times and it will be a surprise if Munster don’t chalk up their 10th win in a row against opposition from the principality at Thomond Park this Saturday.
Munster have always held the advantage in their meetings with Scarlets, winning 23 of their 37 league clashes with a couple of draws thrown in as well. But the dominance has become more pronounced in recent seasons as Welsh rugby declines.
Munster have not lost a home league game to a Welsh side since going down to Scarlets in 2017, while the Llanelli side have not beaten Irish opposition since ousting Connacht four years ago. All of which points to another Munster win here.
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They will hope to improve their league position in this encounter and when they entertain Edinburgh in Cork in a couple of weeks but attack coach Mike Prendergast – who has made it clear he’s still very much interested in the top job – warned they can take nothing for granted against a Scarlets side who have won five and drawn one of their league games so far this season.
“They’re a tough team to play against,” said Prendergast. “I suppose even looking at them last year, they probably conceded a lot of points but their defence is very much shored up this season. They have a very strong kicking game especially through Gareth Davies. And then obviously you look at their set-piece, especially their lineout. They’re number one for attacking lineouts, and it’s something they’ve these little, we call them trick plays or patterns, off lineouts as well and they score a lot through that.
“So you look at the fundamentals – defence, kicking and lineout – is very strong. And straight away, that makes them a team that is hard to play against.”
He said that they want to push on from the 38-19 win away to the Dragons at the end of the last month and he’s confident it’s starting to fall into place as they head into the business end of the season.
“You’re looking for that 80-minute plus performance and I suppose that’s what we’ve been focused on over the last couple of weeks since we came back in.
“And that means you need everyone involved, from your set-piece to your defence to your attack, to your kicking game. So it’s about putting it all together, but I do think in terms of consistency, we’re seeing more and more of it as the weeks go on.
“And we’re starting to get a couple of players back from injury that, you know, creates more competitiveness. So, yeah, there’s a good vibe around the place, and we’re really looking forward to this weekend,” added Prendergast.
The only change sees loosehead Josh Wycherley return from injury for his first action since October. The 25-year old has been out with a neck injury and while he’s hoping to mark his return with a win, he reckons they will have their work cut out against the Llanelli outfit.
“Scarlets have been very good away from home and they’re only losing by very small margins. We know that they’re coming to take us on set-piece wise and they’ve got some real individual talent there as well,” he said.
“I think from a personal point of view, and from a forward point of view, it’ll be very much set-piece focus. And I’m going to enjoy it because it has been a while,” added the Bantry Bay RFC and Cistercian College Roscrea protege who will make his 67th appearance in this one.
MUNSTER: B O’Connor; S Daly, T Farrell, R Scannell, D Kilgallen; B Burns, E Coughlan; J Wycherley, D Barron, O Jager; T Ahern, F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, G Coombes. Replacements: N Scannell, K Ryan, J Ryan, B Gleeson, J Hodnett, P Patterson, T Butler, S McCarthy.
SCARLETS: I Nicholas; E Mee, J Roberts, J Williams, S Evans; I Lloyd, G Davies; K Mathias, M van der Merwe, A Holz; M Douglas, S Lousi; T Plumtree, D Davis, V Fifita. Replacements: R Elias, A Hepburn, S Wainwright, A Craig, J Taylor, A Hughes, C Titcombe, M Page.
Referee: F Vedovelli (Italy).
