Davies set to be at the heart of battle

POOL SIX Scarlets v Leinster: Johnny Wattersonhas a look at what promises to be an intriguing battle in today's European Cup clash

A YOUNG squad; a team in transition. Llanelli Scarlets, the side that hit a speed bump last week when they lost by a point to Edinburgh in the Magners League and one that early season in the Heineken Cup provided a tasty eye-opener for the competition. Against perceived wisdom they undid London Irish. Llanelli are what players in Grand Slam tennis tournaments would call a dangerous floater.

At the heart of the squad the two centres, local lad Jon Davies and the seasoned Sean Lamont, typify the change that coach Nigel Davies has had to impose, largely through a spate of injuries and suspension. He’s had to build team relationships with more haste than his normal judicious approach would caution. Lamont, brother of Scotland’s Rory and the recently Welsh capped Davies are looking to their home meeting with Leinster as a benchmarking challenge. For Davies, it’s possibly the biggest of his career to date.

European Champions on a win or bust mission, a home match at the new stadium Parc Y Scarlets and the first time the new tyro of Welsh rugby will have faced the cutting edge of Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy is sure to provide a carefully followed cameo to the main feature.

“They have massive amounts of experience. They play so well together,” says Davies of the Irish centre pairing. “They know their games inside out, which obviously helps with the partnership. They are very strong players and I’m looking forward to the challenge with Sean.”

As both Irish players were at 21-years-old, Davies is already having to contend with been spoken about as an inside centre of the future in the mould of the legendary Lions and Wales Scott Gibbs. The added extra, from the Llanelli viewpoint, is that Davies is home-grown. He started playing for them at age grade rugby and was promoted to the senior team in 2006, making his debut against Northampton Saints in August of that year. It wasn’t until his sixth appearance (more than a year later) that he scored his first try, as he crossed the line against Connacht.

Earlier this year he received his first call-up to the Welsh senior team for their summer tour of North America. With back line royalty, D’Arcy and O’Driscoll, lining him up, this weekend is another career step up.

“I think most of the people watching the game will be interested in that,” says coach Nigel Davies of the midfield match-ups. “There are four quality players on show, international players up against each other. It could be one of the areas where the game could be won and lost to be honest.”

The coach is aware of the task. Senior players such as Lamont, Simon Easterby, Deacon Manu and Lions outhalf Stephen Jones will bear a lot of the weight.

But Davies is expecting the younger class to shoulder the burden too.

“It’s a great challenge for them. That’s why they play rugby,” says the coach. “There is a difference between wanting to be a professional rugby player and being a professional rugby player. The reality is a lot more difficult to come to terms with than the dream and there is a lot of pressure on these players to perform.

“There’s expectation on them. They realise that now. It’s not just about going out and throwing the ball around and maybe hiding behind the fact that they are young players. The first couple of years in a young player’s career is understanding that.”

O’Driscoll always wears 13 but he moves around the line with D’Arcy and while Davies is regarded as a very powerful player for his age, which is why the Gibbs comparisons have begun, he knows that a performance at least equal to the one that beat London Irish is required.

“No one gave us a chance, a chance in hell to qualify from this group,” says the player. “A big result against London Irish made people sit up and take notice of us. We know we can perform well and we know we were capable of that result. Saturday is big for us. We know what we have to do to get the result. I can’t wait.”

Nor, you sense, can D’Arcy and O’Driscoll.