IT’S SECOND VERSUS fourth in the Guinness Pro12 tomorrow and a meeting between two of the most exciting attacking sides in the competition.
Pat Lam’s Connacht visit Parc y Scarlets to take on the side who were league leaders until Leinster beat the Ospreys last night, in a fixture that promises to be easy on the eye, even if the forecasted rain comes to fall (KO 2.30pm, TG4).
The Scarlets are enjoying a superb season under Kiwi coach Wayne Pivac, a man whose CV bears some resemblance to that of Lam.
Both men have had spells coaching in the Pacific Islands, both have had lengthy stints in charge of Auckland and now both find themselves in charge of underdogs in the Pro12. Their attacking philosophies on the game are also closely linked.
The Scarlets have been a joy to watch this season, scoring 25 tries in their 11 games and beating Glasgow, Ulster, Munster and Leinster. Connacht, meanwhile, have delighted their fans with 27 tries and victories over the Ospreys, Munster and Cardiff.
Connacht’s daring approach to attack has been frequently flagged in Ireland, but the ambitious style Pivac has sent his side out with has also been thrilling to witness.
The former Fiji head coach is in his second season as the Scarlets’ boss, having taken over from Ireland’s Simon Easterby in 2014, and the foundations he has laid have allowed a squad without too many star names to thrive.
It’s a familiar story to that of Lam’s Connacht, the former Samoa international now in his third season in Ireland.
“They’re playing a pretty expansive game, good interplay between their forwards and backs,” says Scarlets centre Hadleigh Parkes of Connacht’s season so far.
“They’re an attacking side, they’re playing some good footy this year and it’s going to be a challenge. It’s one that’s exciting to play. If they want to play an expansive game and we want to try to do the same, hopefully we’ll see some good tries.”
28-year-old Parkes, also a Kiwi, is one of the men benefiting from Pivac’s license to play and has been among the best players in the Pro12 so far this season.
Parkes previously worked with Pivac at Auckland and then readily accepted an offer from the Scarlets when his former coach was moved into the head role in 2014. As it happens, Parkes has also worked under Lam.
“He was my first coach at Super Rugby, so I know him relatively well,” says Parkes, who debuted for the Blues under Lam in 2012.
“He’s got Connacht playing the same kind of expansive game that he had down under. He’s a good coach, he’s enthusiastic, he’s done some wonderful things with Connacht. Obviously they’ve really improved over the last few years that he’s been there.”
Parkes’ links to Connacht extend beyond the head coach.
He calls hooker Tom McCartney “a good mate,” suggesting there will be “a bit of banter” when the pair of them link up tomorrow. Parkes played with Nepia Fox-Matamua down in Auckland too, although the back row is currently sidelined through injury.
Parkes also remembers Bundee Aki from the latter’s time with Counties Manukau in the ITM Cup, and says the centre “is going quite well” with Connacht this season.
Currently on a three-game losing streak in the league, Connacht are desperate for a win in Parc y Scarlets tomorrow, particularly after Leinster moved above them in the table.
The Scarlets too are out to end a run, although the have lost only two in a row. The festive derby defeats to the Ospreys and the Blues came on one- and two-point margins respectively, and Parkes insists confidence has not dipped.
Pivac’s men received three yellow cards last weekend against the Blues and his in-form midfielder says that’s the number one priority for improvement tomorrow.
“I’d say a bit of discipline. It’s hard to win games with going down to 13 men and having three guys, at different times, go off the field. We’ve also got to keep just building phases, because if we build good phases we can score tries.”
While a Sunday afternoon kick-off in Parc y Scarlets may not be the most traditionally glamorous fixture, these ambitious play-off contenders should make it worth tuning in for.
With just seven points now separating leaders Leinster from sixth-placed Ulster, the Scarlets and Connacht know defeat could be costly.
“She’s pretty tight up there,” says Parkes. “It’s going to be interesting from now on, and it probably puts a big influence on this game this weekend that we need a win.”
Scarlets:
15. Michael Collins
14. Steff Evans
13. Regan King
12. Hadleigh Parkes
11. DTH van der Merwe
10. Aled Thomas
9. Aled Davies
1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens (captain)
3. Samson Lee
4. Tom Price
5. Lewis Rawlins
6. Aaron Shingler
7. John Barclay
8. Morgan Allen
Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Phil John
18. Rhodri Jones
19. Maselino Paulino
20. Rory Pitman
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Steve Shingler
23. Steff Hughes
Connacht:
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Bundee Aki
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Finlay Bealham
2. Tom McCartney
3. Nathan White
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Jake Heenan
8. Eoghan Masterson
Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Aly Muldowney
20. Sean O’Brien
21. Ian Porter
22. AJ MacGinty
23. Rory Parata
Referee: Marius Mitrea [FIR].
- This article was updated at 9.56pm to correct the league positions of each side after Leinster’s win against the Ospreys last night.
