Scarlets vs Lions, Leinster vs Lions

Scarlets vs Lions preview. Photo: United Rugby Championship/Sportsfile

Lions crash to HEAVY Scarlets defeat

Scarlets vs Lions: Cash Van Rooyen’s pride will need to tweak their gameplan as they move from Italy to a very different challenge in Wales.

Scarlets vs Lions, Leinster vs Lions

Scarlets vs Lions preview. Photo: United Rugby Championship/Sportsfile

Scarlets vs Lions LIVE scores: Cash Van Rooyen’s pride will need to tweak their gameplan as they move from Italy to the very different challenges they will face playing in Wales.

Scarlets vs Lions LIVE scores

Scarlets vs Lions preview

The Lions will be looking to follow up their 38-26 win against Zebre Parma in Round 1 with another victory on the road.

Returning Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel will be aiming to deliver a winning return to Parc y Scarlets.

The Welsh outfit have a number of hardened veterans on their books, such as British & Irish Lions players Ken Owens, Wyn Jones, Gareth Davies, Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny, while their captain for the season is Jonathan Davies, who boasts close to 100 Test caps for Wales and the Lions.

Former Springbok lock Albert van den Berg, nowadays one of the Lions’ assistant coaches, said his side can prepare to face a well-balanced opponent on Friday.

“They’ve got a very good set-piece attack, they’ve got a good backline and they’ve got a few (British & Irish) Lions players among their ranks,” said Van den Berg.

The Scarlets have won eight of their nine meetings with South African opposition.

Meanwhile, the last time the Lions triumphed in back-to-back away matches outside South Africa was in early 2019 when they beat the Jaguares and the Sunwolves in Buenos Aires and Singapore.

Peel expects the Lions to pose a multi-faceted challenge as well.

“We are very excited. We have scouted the Lions through the Currie Cup and we took a lot from last week’s game versus Zebre.

“They were very impressive in the first half and punished Zebre every opportunity they got. They were fast and powerful as you would expect. We understand the magnitude of the task.

“The fact the four big South African franchises are in the URC is great for the league and we are looking forward to the challenge on Friday.”

Team line-ups: Scarlets vs Lions

Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl, Tom Rogers, Jonathan Davies (captain), Scott Williams, Steff Evans, Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Rob Evans, Ryan Elias, WillGriff John, Jac Price, Tom Price, Blade Thomson, Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Marc Jones, Phil Price, Samson Lee, Morgan Jones, Shaun Evans, Dane Blacker, Dan Jones, Ioan Nicholas.

Emirates Lions: EW Viljoen, Jamba Ulengo, Wandisile Simelane, Burger Odendaal (captain), Rabz Maxwane, Jordan Hendrikse, Andre Warner; Ruan Dreyer, Jaco Visagie, Carlu Sadie, Ruben Schoeman, Pieter Jansen van Vuren, Jaco Kriel, Vincent Tshituka, Francke Horn.

Replacements: PJ Botha, Sti Sithole, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Reinhard Nothnagel, Sibusiso Sangweni, Morne van den Berg, Eddie Fouche, Divan Rossouw.

Match information, kick-off times, tv details, live stream

Scarlets v Emirates Lions

Date: Friday, 1 October

Venue: Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli (Wales)

SA time Kick-off: 20:35

Referee: Andrea Piardi

AR 1: Elgan Williams, AR 2: Tom Spurrier

TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

TV: SuperSport

Stream: DStv Now