Pivac says same again for one last challenge

SCARLETS head coach Wayne Pivac has rewarded the side that secured an emphatic victory over Leinster in the Guinness PRO12 semi final a week ago naming an unchanged side for today’s championship final.

Scottish captain John Barclay will remain at the helm in Ken Owens’ absence as he looks to lead his side to a first championshipwinning victory since regional rugby’s inception back in 2003/04.

The Scarlets will take on Munster in the Guinness PRO12’s final and will be looking to do the double over the provisional side on Irish soil having already secured a victory over the Munstermen at Thomond Park earlier this season.

Having suffered an opening round loss to Munster at Parc y Scarlets in September, however, Pivac and his men will be only too aware of the dangers posed by Rassie Erasmus’ side.

Winger Steff Evans had his 47thminute semi-final red card rescinded and is free to continue with his rich vein of form in the championship final.

Scrum half Gareth Davies will mark his 150th appearance for the region at the Aviva Stadium, a fitting way to reach a century-and-ahalf of games in the Scarlet jersey.

Looking ahead to the game Pivac said; “We know they’re a very good side. You don’t finish top after the round robin stage for nothing.

“They’ve got the best defensive record in the championship and they’re a side that we have a lot of respect for.

“We took some confidence out of that win (at Thomond Park), but it’s going to be a different occasion altogether. We have to make sure we go out there and play our game and enjoy the occasion.

“The boys know that if they get it right on the day they can beat anyone, so we just have to get it right on the day.” Munster: S Zebo; A Conway, F Saili, R Scannell, K Earls; T Bleyendaal, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, N Scannell, J Ryan, B Holland, P O’Mahony (capt), T O’Donnell, CJ Stander. Reps: R Marshall, B Scott, S Archer, J Deysel, J O’Donoghue, D Williams, I Keatley. J Taute. Scarlets: J McNicholl; L Williams, J Davies, S Williams, S Evans; R Patchell, G Davies; R Evans, R Elias, S Lee, L Rawlins, T Beirne, A Shingler, J Davies, J Barclay (capt) Reps; E Phillips, W Jones, W Kruger, D Bulbring, W Boyde, J Evans, H Parkes, DTH van der Merwe. Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU) Assistant Referee 1: David Wilkinson (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: (WRU) TMO: Neil Paterson (SRU) Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (SRU) Ian Davies