Rolland must face Wales fans
The former Ireland scrum-half became public enemy number one in Wales after sending off Sam Warburton just 18 minutes into their heartbreaking semi-final defeat to France.
Wales captain Warburton was given his marching orders after a clumsy ‘tip-tackle’ on pint-sized French wing Vincent Clerc just a week after the Dragons had dumped Ireland out at the quarter-final stage.
Rolland allegedly received death threats following the decision and has not officiated in Wales since.
But the Scarlets will not lay on any special measures to protect Rolland despite admitting he is set to receive the verbal wrath of Wales at Parc y Scarlets.
Head coach Nigel Davies said: “Referees always get the stick from the crowd. But as much as our crowd are very passionate I don’t think anyone has been attacked here!
“He’s a good, top-end referee and you can’t blame him for following the laws of the game.
“We have a very knowledgeable crowd and no one can argue with the call he made. It is water under the bridge.
“He will be fine — that game is long gone.”
Critics claimed Rolland’s rash call was ‘out of touch’ with the game but the decision was justified when Warburton was found guilty at a disciplinary hearing and subsequently banned for three weeks. Warburton has also admitted on several occasions that the decision was right. The region’s captain, Matthew Rees, who missed the World Cup due to a neck injury, was among those to hit-out at Rolland in October.
But the former Wales skipper insists there are no hard feelings.
Rees said: “We’ve played in games where he has been in charge before and we have no issues with him at all. As for the reception Alain will get that is up to the crowd but as players it is dead and buried.”
The Scarlets are still alive in Pool 1 despite back-to-back defeats to Munster which has left them four points adrift of the Reds.
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