Evans’ boys aim to be in select few
SCARLETS Premiership Select head to Hartpury College this afternoon searching for a bonuspoint win to keep their British & Irish Cup hopes alive.
Two wins and two defeats from four matches have left the Scarlets’ Pool Five hopes in the balance.
Euro Evans’ side beat English Championship side Hartpury 24-21 with 14 men in the reverse fixture at Parc y Scarlets back in October, after Tom Price was red carded, before also beating Cornish Pirates 18-10.
Those victories were bookended by defeats at Ulster A and then in Penzance against the Pirates, which now places extra emphasis on today’s game to give the Scarlets something to play for when they take on Ulster A again at Llandovery next weekend.
Ahead of the game in Gloucestershire, head coach Evans said: “We’re up against it and, realistically, are probably going to need two bonus-point wins and a couple of results to go our way.
“But we’re still in with a chance, we haven’t given up hope and it’s worth going there, putting a good performance in and hopefully giving ourselves a chance going into the last weekend.
“Hartpury are a typical Championship side with a big pack and drive a lot of line-outs and we struggled to cope with that at home – when we were also down to 14 men for the last 25 minutes.
“Hopefully we can manage that a bit better this time, get some ball and play the open, attractive game that we try to do.
“We’re quite happy with the way it’s gone – with development being a key part of this tournament in many ways – but it’ll be nice to go into next weekend with it all to play for.”
Meanwhile pride is all Cardiff Blues Premiership Select have left to play for as they tackle Leinster A at Pontypridd’s Sardis Road this afternoon.
Justin Burnell’s Blues have lost all four of their matches in Pool Two and, with just one bonus-point to show for their efforts, are already mathematically out of contention. They also have their work cut out against a Leinster side who have a maximum 20 points and four wins from as many games.