by Lestyn

Date: 1 January 2004

After experimenting and failing with Gareth Llewellyn at Blindside flanker against Edinburgh three weeks ago, Lyn Jones has made another daring positional switch with Shane Williams moved back to full back, in an attempt to inject more pace into a back line that has suffered through the absence of Gavin Henson. Lyn Jones - "We have picked a side with pace, recognising that Llanelli are always a team that can run in tries from all over the park." Which beggars the question why Andy Newman is included? When in recent matches he has only rarely reached to jogging speed.

Subsequently Elvis Servali comes into the outside centre berth - a position the West Glamorgan region have struggled to find the answer in. Jonathan Thomas moves forward, also James Bater and Richie Pugh return to give the back row a more mobile look. Duncan Jones and Paul James are both absent, but Jones should return in time along with Gavin Henson for the Ospreys daunting visit to Toulouse.

In stark contrast Llanelli are riding high. Victory on Friday would see the Scarlets go top, if Ulster fail to win at Leinster. Such is the confidence at Stradey Park, Gareth Jenkins has chosen to rest nearly half his usual strongest XV. But strength in depth allows Jenkins to still name a more than competitive side.

Gareth Bowen and Mike Phillips re-unite after playing so well together in the absence of the Scarlets World cup big guns. Phillips has oozed class for the Llanelli club side in recent weeks, and could up the pressure on Dwayne Peel. Joint Assistant coach Paul Moriaty believes with the hectic end to the Heineken cup group stage coming up it's an ideal chance to give some fringe players a game;

“We are going to need all our players playing at the top of their game to realise our ambitions this season and Friday’s game is an opportunity to give some of the boys who haven’t played much since the return of the internationals a high intensity game. They proved themselves in the early Celtic League matches and have been on scorching form for the feeder clubs since so we are totally confident in this selection.” Quinnell and company may still feature from the bench.

Even without their usually key 8-9-10 combination I've got the feeling the home side will continue to show the confidence the Ospreys have desperately lacked so far. Lyn Jones might get it tactically spot on with the move of Shane to full back, but the Scarlets pack should strangle the life out of a light weight looking West Glamorgan one. I wouldn't be surprised to see a high scoring encounter though.

Scarlets:
B Davies; G Evans, T Selley, M Watkins, S Finau; G Bowen, M Phillips; I Thomas, A Gravelle, J Thiel, V Cooper (capt), C Wyatt, D Jones, S Easterby, D Hodges.
Replacements: P John, R McBryde, A Jones, S Quinnell, D Peel, S Jones, M Taylor.

Ospreys:
S Williams; D Tiueti, E Sevalai'i, S Gibbs (capt), S Terblanche; S Connor, A Williams; A Millward, B Williams, A Jones, A Newman, J Thomas, J Bater, R Pugh, N Bonner-Evans.
Replacements: H Bennett, G Llewellyn, C Griffiths, G Thomas, M Jones, J Storey, G Morris.

Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Gower)

TV: BBC2 Wales 1845

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