Popham relishing clash with Leamy

LLANELLI’S European Cup crusade has resonances with Munster’s, although it irks the west Wales region to be bracketed as the ‘nearly men’ of the competition — as Munster once were before their coronation last May.

The Scarlets are about as close as one will get that mirrors the Munster template, and after a stunning sequence of six straight wins in the pool stages of this year’s Heineken Cup, many feel it is Llanelli’s destiny to finally lift the trophy in Twickenham on May 20.

But that is dangerous talk, according to Scarlets and Wales back-row Alix Popham, who joined the region two seasons ago. He is well aware of their Heineken Cup pedigree, but is putting such fanciful thoughts of glory this season aside for now.