Easterby ready to match might of Munster

THE picturesque backdrop of Saundersfoot on Wales’s west coast, a little off the beaten track but one much travelled by Munster supporters over the years, provided the stunning backdrop to Llanelli’s press day at the St Bride’s hotel yesterday.

A beautiful day matched the sunny mood of the Scarlets’ camp, buoyed with the news out-half Stephen Jones will start on Friday against Munster.

Their temporary location, an hour west of their Llanelli base and where they trained at Tenby United Rugby club, was coach Phil Davies’ idea in an attempt “to get everybody back together in a quality environment, get the focus right and preparation and the detail of the preparation in place”.

Scarlets’ understated master of detail is leaving nothing to chance in preparation for the visit of the European champions. It was understandable that a good portion of the questions were directed at Scarlets’ captain and three-time Triple Crown winner, Ireland’s Simon Easterby, who’d be seen as more au fait with the Munster players’ modus operandi, having spent close to two months with many of them in Irish camp.

Easterby’s summation of Munster is that they have set the benchmark for success in Europe.

“I think we are and you are (press) fully aware of the threat Munster can pose,” said Easterby. “They’re a formidable unit up front, very well drilled. They have a pair of half backs that can control a game — not just for Ireland — but who can do it for Munster week in, week out, year in year out. I think they’re the benchmark really of success in Europe. They’ve only won it once but they’ve reached the knockout stages pretty much every year.

“They come to Stradey as defending European champions, and nothing other than a hard, aggressive, and physical encounter is what we’re expecting. And I’m sure they won’t disappoint us in that respect.”

Having spent the Six Nations working to secure ball in front of O’Gara, Easterby knows how important it is to have a solid no 10 in that position, and it’s why, he says, Jones’ inclusion is a “massive” boost for the Scarlets. Despite Jones’ poor form for Wales, both Easterby and Davies spoke of the number 10’s indispensability.

“He’s a talisman,” added Easterby. “It has been great since he returned this week. Just as O’Gara is for them, Stephen is the same for us. He will deliver Friday night, no doubt.”

Ireland’s blind-side flanker says this Heineken Cup quarter final clash has some mouthwatering head-to-heads, most notably between both international sets of half backs. “Certainly half backs Dwayne (Peel) and (Peter) Stringer and Stephen (Jones) and (ronan) O’Gara are going to shape the game. But, as always the platform is going to be set up front for us to deliver for Stephen and Dwayne and for the rest of the backs.”

Jones experienced a difficult Six Nations campaign, and when it was put to Davies what his mental shape is this week, the Scarlets coach said defiantly: “I know this guy is great, he’s a great member of the team. He’s a very resilient character, and he’s an experienced international rugby player whose been around and seen it and done it — he has been terrific.”

Both Peel and Jones were vital cogs in this Llanelli machine that topped the Pool of Death, winning all six games in a group that included Toulouse, Ulster and London Irish. They also managed to pick up try-scoring bonus points in their three away games, but it was their dashing style throughout the pool games that caught the eye. Whether they will forge ahead with a 15-man game or adopt a more pragmatic game-plan against Munster will be seen after the first 20 minutes on Friday.

One thing Easterby emphasises is Llanelli’s ability to win pretty or ugly. “Our strengths this year have been our ability to score tries but we’ve also ground out wins. Ulster, Toulouse and London Irish at home were games that if we played them in the past we could have easily have lost. But we won them this year. I think we’ve achieved something there, when in the past we possibly would have fallen away. But we’ve managed to do that up front and I don’t think it’ll be any different this week.”

Ronan O’Gara may not be happy with the perception from some of the Welsh press that Friday’s game will see a clash of styles — Munster brute force versus Scarlets’ slick style under new coach, Davies. The Munster out half has been keen to reiterate this season that Munster can play many ways too. Davies agrees. “Both teams have got lots of quality. We’ve diversified our game a little bit at times this year when we’ve needed to – look at the Toulouse game (away) and maybe the Ulster game (away) in this competition in particular where we varied our styles to win the games. And we know on Friday night this will be a very physical encounter for us, particularly at the breakdown and we’re prepared for that, and it’ll be an exciting game and I’m sure of that.”

While the encounters at the breakdown will be crucial, it was put to Davies that having seen Leicester sack Munster at Thomond mainly, through forward power, has that altered his perspective of the champions?

“Not at all,” said the former Wales second row/back row. “They’re a top side and on occasion you do lose big games in your own back yard. It doesn’t make them a bad side. They’ve a lot of experience. And, as Simon has alluded to, they’ve reached the knock out stages consistently over a sustained period of time, so you’ve got to respect them immensely, which we do.”

Davies also contends that while Paul O’Connell — “possibly the best lock in the world” will be a loss to Munster, Munster have “such a strong squad, I think they’ll push that off and come all guns blazing”.

Easterby said that he enjoyed the gentle ribbing that went on during down-time in Ireland camp. But he says all that will be put aside on Friday night. “I said to Paul O’Connell that at least if he wasn’t playing there would be one less person I have to fall out with or make up with afterwards,” joked Easterby.

“There is always going to be a bit of banter. For 80 minutes we’re against each other and I’ll be doing everything to assist the Scarlets to win.”

Easterby adds that he doesn’t feel he is at an advantage knowing the Munster/Ireland forwards: “I’m sure they’ll bring things to this game I will not have seen. They’re intelligent lads. I think there’ll be something different on Friday night that we’ll have to encounter.”