Final flourish... why have forged ahead of the rest
IT was a tale of two regions in the Guinness PRO12 semi-finals as the Scarlets swept to a superb victory over Leinster in Dublin and the Ospreys bowed out while barely firing a creative shot against Munster in Limerick.
If they are in the consolation game — which they shouldn’t be after ending their season on a demoralising run of six defeats in seven matches in all competitions — Steve Tandy’s team will reflect that at least they reached the play-offs.
Yet again, Cardiff Blues failed to get close on that front and and Newport Gwent Dragons finished more than 50 points behind the Scarlets in the table. Another sobering stat for all at Rodney Parade is that the Scarlets won more league games this season than the Dragons have managed in three terms of PRO12 rugby. We look at how Wayne Pivac’s side have forged ahead of their rivals. THE SCARLETS HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY CONSISTENT Most of the regions have had hot spots during the season – even the Dragons went on a two-game winning run at one point – but what sets the Scarlets apart is that they have maintained their momentum.
They have won 18 of their last 20 league games, succumbing only to the Ospreys in Swansea and Leinster in Dublin.
By contrast, the Ospreys finished the league season with five defeats from six matches, losing their way completely. Cardiff Blues started the campaign impressively, only to swerve clean off the road during a run of two wins from 10 PRO12 matches, while the Dragons were relentless only in the sense of being relentlessly poor.
It hasn’t been dazzling sunshine all the way from Wayne Pivac’s team, who, like everyone else, have had the occasional off day.
But more often than not they have still got the job done, the hallmark of a good side. A TEAM FOR ALL SEASONS The memorable semi-final win over Leinster showed the all-round qualities of the Scarlets’ class of 2017.
In the first half they played with rare skill and a clinical edge: quarterchances were turned into tries by players who not only had the ability to catch, pass and offload at pace, but also the mindset to turn defence into attack.
It was as if an alarm had sounded for players to move into a higher gear when Jonathan Davies and John Barclay worked the outstanding Steff Evans over down the left and sublime play from Scott Williams and James Davies engineered the opening for Gareth Davies to cross.
Then, with the side reduced to 14 men for 44 minutes, Pivac’s team showed they had steel to go with their swagger, defending resolutely and winning the second-half 6-5 despite their depleted numbers.
James Davies’ performance made the Welsh selectors look ridiculous.
He may still be a work in progress when it comes to qualifying for rugby’s sainthood, but in terms of pure ability he more than cuts it as a potential international player. Increasingly, the decision to leave him at home this summer appears bizarre. Let’s return to the other regions. The Ospreys can defend with the best and they won enough ball against Munster in Limerick, but they lacked precision in attack and struggled to create. They looked a shadow of the team that had started the season so well, with Sam Davies ablaze.
The Blues implode too quickly once the pressure comes in and the Dragons need to buck up on all fronts. QUALITY COACHING It isn’t breaking news to suggests that sides do not reach play-off finals by chance.
As Muhammad Ali once said: “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
So you’d have to assume some thought went into the ploy of denying Dan Biggar space to the point where he experienced the rugby equivalent of suffocation when the Ospreys visited Parc y Scarlets at the start of the month.
Similarly, the Scarlets did a number on Jonathan Sexton last Friday, highlighted by the in-form Jonathan Davies drilling the fly-half back at least five metres at one point in Dublin.
Wayne Pivac has ensured his side play to their easy-on-the-eye strengths.
They have shown high-level skill with ball in hand but they are also a handful at the breakdown and more than capable at the set-pieces, understanding that the spadework always has to be put in.
Jones increasingly looks the genuine article as an attack coach, while Pivac inspires confidence.
And to think that after three defeats on the bounce to start the season, some fans were asking whether he should be thanked for his services and pointed back in the direction of New Zealand.
Fortunately, sanity prevailed. THE SCARLETS HAVE SOLVED THE IRISH QUESTION Munster still have to be faced in Dublin in the final and that is a significant hurdle to overcome, but Wayne Pivac’s team have won three times in Ireland already this season, so another trip there will hardly daunt them.
They boast six successes from their nine encounters with Irish teams this season, a 66 percent win rate.
The Ospreys managed just three wins from nine (33 percent), Cardiff