More than derby win at stake, says Pivac

PLACES in the Wales team for next month’s Tests with Tonga and Samoa will be up for grabs during Saturday night’s unofficial audition; the derby between the Scarlets and Ospreys.

And that’s not all at stake, with the Guinness PRO12 finale determining the top Welsh region of the regular campaign.

The Scarlets have already booked a place in the championship play-off semi-finals while Ospreys, currently fourth, are set to join them because of a vastly superior points difference over fifth-placed Ulster.

The Ospreys would overtake their West Wales neighbours if they were to win a huge derby at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday but the Scarlets have other ideas.

“We are happy to have cemented a place in the top four to reach the semi-finals, which was one of our season’s goals, with a round to spare,” said Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac.

The Scarlets were convincing winners at defending PRO12 champions Connacht on Saturday night, which means they don’t have the added pressure of having to beat the Ospreys to secure a top-four finish and a place in the title play-offs.

“We didn’t want to apply that sort of pressure to this game so to get the result we did at the weekend was very pleasing,” added Pivac.

“Finishing in the top four has been put to bed but there is pressure against the Ospreys because it is a derby and there may be an impact on which pool we are drawn in for next season’s European Champions Cup, which is important.

“It’s not a cup final but it’s certainly important because one of our goals is to finish top Welsh team in the PRO12 table for a second year.

“There’s also the small matter of tours of the southern hemisphere coming up. It’s our role to promote players and to get them to the next level, which is playing international rugby.

“The Ospreys will have similar goals to us and it should be a fantastic climax to the roundrobin season. One of us will have the title of top Welsh region at the end of the game on Saturday.”

More rugby: Pages 46&47