by Ben Jones
Date: Saturday, February 20 2021
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Time: 15:00 PM
WITH the Six Nations on pause for a week, attentions turn to the Guinness PRO14 and West Wales as the Scarlets play host to Benetton.
The Scarlets on international duty have been doing their duty and have helped Wales to two wins from two, but this week the focus is on the players Glenn Delaney will send out to do the business in the Guinness PRO14.
Three weeks ago the Scarlets welcome champions Leinster into town, as both sides produced much-changed lineups, with the Irish side running out 52-25 winners in a rout.
That was their third loss in as many games after consecutive losses to their Welsh rivals the Cardiff Blues but one they can take solace from after putting up 25 points in a decent performance.
Benetton are on a treacherous run and have yet to win in this seasons campaign. Ten straight losses but things have been looking better recently for the Italian side as their defeats have been by single digits, earning them five losing bonus points in the process.
In the reverse fixture where the Scarlets won 10-3, it was a tale of two defences. Neither side seemed to be able to get a hold of the game but in the end, class shone through and the Welsh side left with a win.
Coming into the contest, the visitors sit bottom of Conference B with their hosts two places above them in fourth place, battling it out with the Blues and Connacht to who can take the runners up place in the conference.
The Scarlets get a welcome boost as several of their top players have returned from injury or have been let off by Wales for some game time.
Exciting back rower Jac Morgan is back after a 10-week absence due to a knee injury he sustained in the Welsh sides dramatic victory against Bath in the Champions Cup. Sione Kalamafoni rejoins the former Wales U20 captain in the starting XV after a spell on the treatment table.
Ryan Elias and Jake Ball were released from Wales duty for the weekend to add further firepower up-front in the scrum. Steff Evans is back after a spell on the sidelines and lines up on the wing once again, whilst Dane Blacker and Sam Costelow retain their places at scrum-half and fly-half respectively.
On the bench, prop Steff Thomas is in line for his PRO14 debut and partners the likes of Peter Scholtz who is fit again and in contention.
Talking in his press conference, Glenn Delaney said that his side need to remain patient but make sure they execute in the right areas to get the win.
“We have had a productive few weeks since the Leinster. It is important that we are patient and we have to build ourselves into the contest, which we did well in a tight affair in horrendous conditions out in Treviso. We need to get the right level of application and we need to execute.
“There is a huge amount to play for in these final four games European places are on the line and it is going to be a real scrap in our pool.”
SCARLETS: 15) Johnny McNicholl; 14) Ryan Conbeer, 13) Tyler Morgan, 12) Steff Hughes (C), 11) Steff Evans; 10) Sam Costelow, 9) Dane Blacker; 1) Phil Price, 2) Ryan Elias, 3) Javan Sebastian, 4) Jake Ball, 5) Morgan Jones, 6) Uzair Cassiem, 7) Jac Morgan, 8) Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: 16) Marc Jones, 17) Steff Thomas, 18) Pieter Scholtz, 19) Sam Lousi, 20) Ed Kennedy, 21) Will Homer, 22) Dan Jones, 23) Paul Asquith.
Unavailable because of injury
Josh Macleod (Achilles), Blade Thomson (concussion), Lewis Rawlins (neck), Tomi Lewis (knee), Samson Lee (concussion), Tom Rogers (knee), Rob Evans (concussion), James Davies (concussion), Kemsley Mathias (back), Aaron Shingler, Rhys Patchell.
Unavailable because of international duty
Ken Owens, Wyn Jones, Kieran Hardy, Gareth Davies, Jonathan Davies, Johnny Williams, Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny.
BENETTON: 15) Jayden Hayward; 14) Angelo Esposito, 13) Joaquin Riera, 12) Luca Morisi, 11) Leonardo Sarto; 10) Tomasso Allan, 9) Dewaldt Duvenage (C); 1) Thomas Gallo, 2) Tomas Baravalle, 3) Tiziano Pasquali, 4) Irne Herbst, 5) Eli Snyman, 6) Giovanni Pettinelli, 7) Manuel Zuliani, 8) Riccardo Favretto.
Replacements: 16) Corniel Els, 17) Nicola Quaglio, 18) Ivan Nemer, 19) Matteo Canali, 20) Alberto Sgarbi, 21) Davide Ruggeri, 22) Callum Braley, 23) Edoardo Padovani.
