Scarlets will expect to win
The Scarlets will host Perpignan in the Heineken Cup first round this Saturday.
The Scarlets will feel that they can beat the French side at Parc y Scarlets. The Welsh side have had a good start to their season, apart from their opening game in the Magners League which they lost to Treviso 34-28.
Since then, the Scarlets have won three games against Aironi, the Dragons and Connaught. They were unlucky to lose against their rivals the Ospreys 21-18 in their last match. The Welsh side are currently fourth in the Magners League and on 16 points.
Jonathan Davies and George North will be missing for the Scarlets as both players picked up ankle injuries. The Welsh team will rely on their pack taking the game to Perpignan, but the French side will expect to dominate the scrum.
Stephen Jones will be an important player and will need to kick well and bring his backs into play. If he can do this, the likes of Scottish winger Sean Lamont will be a threat.
Lamont has been in great form for the Welsh club and said, "[Perpignan have] a big physical pack. They will be strong in the set piece and I'm sure that the back three is dangerous, so we cannot kick loose ball as we did a couple of times against the Ospreys.”
Speaking about the team’s last performance, the Scottish international added, "We have got to enforce our game more than we did. We had a good first half but we were a little bit slack in the second and let them come at us. We need to start the first and
the second halves in the same way and come out firing.”
"We have got the finishers, we've got the ability, and we are gelling well as a team. We can take to pretty much anyone when we are playing well,” added Lamont.
Perpignan will need a good performance if they are to overcome the Scarlets at home. Their poor away form has let them down in the Heineken Cup and they are no longer the force they once were.
Toulouse and Clermont are the dominant teams in French rugby and it could be argued that Perpignan has slipped down the order of merit with Racing Metro and Toulon producing better results in the domestic league.
Perpignan’s forward Henry Tuilagi has been suspended and Perpignan will miss the abrasive hits that the Samoan puts in.
Perpignan are in fifth position in the Top 14 French league and will rely on the likes of Nicolas Mas up front.
The Scarlets will go into the game as favourites and will expect to win their home matches especially this fixture against Perpignan who don't travel well.
Perpignan has a strong physical side and will try to dominate up front. Like the Scarlets they do have some exciting backs and if they are up for a game they can beat any side.
If the Scarlets start well they should win as the Perpignan side relies on confidence more than most teams. A Scarlets win seems likely.
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