21/02/2016 Scrum V Sunday

It's time to shift your focus from this trophy to this one. It is the

weekend when allegiances turned from country to club, ask not what you

can do for your country but what your club can do for you. Dan

Lydiate help to win back his Wales shirt and could he of the Ospreys

climb into the top six? The Scarlets welcome back Alan Davies, helping

them to topple high-flying old stuff. Can he fired the Dragons to

their first away victory? In Cardiff, the Blues were looking to

bounce back after a botched Italian job last week. An international game

-- another game with an international subplot. Players

battling it out on the Welsh wing. Good evening and welcome

to the programme. Jonathan Davies and Martyn Williams

join us in studio this evening. We'll be reviewing

the weekend's Pro12 action - and looking ahead to

Wales against France. And we'll also have

action from the only Principality Premiership match this

weekend and Rick has also been All that to come, but we'll

kick things off tonight, with this afternoon's match

at the Kingspan Stadium. Two of the top four met in Belfast

earlier today. The Scarlets with Alan Davies back at scrum-half along

with Alan Thomas. COMMENTATOR: Edwards, still

therefore the Scarlets, going through the phases. Lovely off-load.

Surely it will be the opening try in the game? Over they go, good work.

Michael Collins. Marshall to Jackson, flat ball,

works a little wrap around and eventually worked their way out.

Gilroy, good step up and what a try that is. Well worked. It is owing

again, step from the base, beats two players. Thomas also does the same.

A little step from John. Still playing advantage. Wide ball. Kane

puts the ball out to Collins, can the full-back get over? Yes, he can.

The foot comes through from Phil John.

He goes on the outside, Luke, what a tackle, coming across. They will go

upstairs surely. There is the tackle. You only need to listen to

the crowd. Still there, that has to come back. Hands wide, is the call

from the referee. Thomas, Regan King. Can the centre get over?

Flicks it over the top, it has gone forward. Knock-on, is the call.

Good off-load in midfield. King down that far side. Opportunity. The

player dragged over that touchline, as he get the ball in play? Yes, the

Canadian international did exceptionally well. Wilson as ever

in there, making a nuisance of himself and it will go to the

pocket. The referee has had enough, it will be a yellow card. Chris

Henry. A big kick. From Thomas. He adds another three points.

Very happy with the defence, we did not have much territory but this one

was very good today. The penalty count was very low for us. For the

first time in eight years, the Scarlets have won in Belfast, only

the second time they have done so in regional history. That is a huge

statement. I thought it was a brilliant game and they both brought

good things to play. Full house, a great advert for the Pro12. They

hung on towards the end because they were under pressure. It is a

fantastic result, with a lot of injuries. More than anything,

defensively, we said about the discipline being good but

defensively, I know they have leaked tries, but they were solid today.

Three of us watched it together and in the last two minutes, they turned

down three points and went for the corner and almost conspired to lose

it. They had the opportunity to go for goal, even if they had missed

the kick, they would have got the ball back for the 22. They knocked

the ball on, gave Ulster a chance but don't take anything away from

them. It is such a tough place to go. All of them were so comfortable

with ball in hand and attacked really well. And you cannot overlook

the defensive effort, it was huge. We talked defence and discipline and

you mentioned attack. Both teams playing with attacking intent. It is

just definite. The touch and the variety and good angles of running,

the simplicity of the break and they give and take. Regan King has lost a

yard but his brain is still very sharp. They just want to play and

they do the right things and I do feel that this is a significant

moment for the Scarlets because they have lost a couple of games but

again, skips around the outside, they blew a couple of chances as

well. They could have put the game safe. But I think with the weather

conditions hopefully getting better, and some of their players coming

back, I think they are in a very good position at the moment. When

the Scarlets signed Andy parks in particular, you have been

phenomenal. He has been consistent, makes the right decision. It is only

a hefty boot downfield but it was the perfect timing, a couple of the

Scarlets youngsters wanted to play but he said no, let's just get it

down there. We looked at, Watt topping the table and playing so

well this season but almost expecting them to start to slip

away. The Scarlets, they have the likes of Scott Williams and all of

their internationals coming back and they like to play in the wide

channels, there is no reason they cannot go all the way. Their target

has to be top two wrote. When you want that home semifinal. I bumped

into Steven Jones last week and he said at the start of the year, the

intent was top four but now, they are looking at a top two to get a

home semifinal draw so the way they have played and developed, I think

top two is a realistic target for them. Andy parks will saying the

same thing as well. They are well on course, moving up to third. Ospreys

at home on Friday night, looking to make it seven victories in nine. The

Ospreys knew a victory over Edinburgh could come tell them into

the top six. They had a handful of internationals to help them. Dan

Lydiate slotting into the back row. Canadian flyer Jeff Hassler also

back in action. JJ N'Gog Brecht making his first home start.

-- Engelbrercht. COMMENTATOR: Lydiate lost the ball to Sammut

beard. It is all defence for the Ospreys again when they thought they

were going to clear the lines. They could be found wanting as Edinburgh

surge forward. A highly ball, just took the steam

out of it for a second. Kennedy. Tonks, straight through, Nicky Smith

dragged him back but the off-load gives a try to Alan Del.

Leonard through the blindside, Sam Davies, a little chip from him. John

gets there. Sam Underhill and from absolutely nothing, a try is

conjured. He is delighted. Typical Dan Lydiate tackle. He is

giving him a yellow card as well. He wants to see the TMA on. -- TMO. I

think that is very harsh. That is harsh.

Cracknell slips it away. They ride the tackle and get the try that

makes victory absolutely safe for the Ospreys.

Edinburgh have only conceded 14 tries all season, we knew it would

be tough. It is something you have two win ugly sometimes and I thought

the boys did really well in the second half. A remarkable turnaround

by the Ospreys, having lost five of their last six and having won now

seven of the last nine. So many of their young and fringe players have

stepped up in the absence of the internationals. How impressed have

you been by those players? Very impressed, especially

you been by those players? Very this time of

you been by those players? Very had an industrious game. Oliver

Cracknell came on in the second half and he carried the ball a few times

within the first three minutes of being on. The bench made a huge

impact. Ben John could have gone man on the match.

It is important for the Ospreys if they are to take that next stop. --

step. They they are to take that next stop. --

New Year's day. How did you rate his performance? People have to realise,

it is quite difficult sometimes when you have been away with the

international set,... He probably had a couple of sessions with the

Ospreys, and he will have been desperate to impress. All in all,

the most important thing for him is to get 80 minutes... 70 minutes

under his belt because he had a yellow card. He will be happy with

his performance. Hugely controversial decision, that yellow

card. This is what Dan Lydiate is renowned for. His arm is in the

tackle. The arm is out again, the intent is

there. When you teach kids to tackle, the first thing you hit in

the tackle is your shoulder. You drive with your shoulder. If you

drive with your arm, you will break your arm. I don't really understand

why all of a sudden, calling it the chop tackle is one thing, whoever

made that up, I have no idea. I just think that some of these tackles...

The referees look for things now. That wasn't a penalty and it was not

a yellow card. All the people coming in on social media with their own

opinions, saying it makes the game safe. We have played for a long time

and the player safety is priority. But it is a contact sport, tackles

will be made with the shoulder. Sometimes if you hit them with the

shoulder and the intent is to put your arms around, sometimes you arms

don't go around because the player moves away from you. It is very

difficult. It is tough. But I think we are making situations for

referees and they have to referee everything and they are under the

microscope and it ends up being ridiculous. Yellow card, yes or no?

Penalty, yes or no? No. Moving onto the Blues -

and they were thankful for their 4G pitch yesterday as they had

to battle not just Leinster, but the elements, at a rain-soaked

and wind-blown Cardiff Arms Park. After last week's defeat to bottom

placed to Visa, Gareth Anscombe, Lloyd Williams, Josh Turnbull and

Alex Cuthbert were back to bolster the Blues's line-up against Leinster

side who had just lost once in nine games.

COMMENTATOR: into the second quarter and still on terms. Cardiff Blues,

despite playing into the teeth of this gale, Madigan looking for the

wide option. Tries to kick it through and it is snapped up by

McFadden. Did he get that one down? Definite drop, rate cover tackle. --

great cover tackle. Alex Cuthbert. Beautiful run from him. Making 30-40

metres upfield and finding support. Can they get an inside ball? Lloyd

Williams is motoring, he is smashed down. There is nothing wrong with

that. That is a yellow card offence. Another Blues scrum in reverse.

Handscomb fumbles. It is a kick and chase that has been knocked on by

both sides. Is that Cory Allen? In a little bit of pain. You can see him

wincing. That is not good news for Wales. Reddan sees his kick heading

backwards. Not a day for box kicking into the wind. As Lloyd Williams

found out on one occasion in the first half. That is the break

though, from:. He looks the support. The first try, unopposed. 58 minutes

gone. Short and flat, that is one way. The

Blues within two metres of the line with five minutes left. They

stretched and get the ball down and Cardiff Blues have at Alaska, earned

themselves a lifeline. -- have at last. Patch is now back in the

pocket. He might fancy a drop goal for glory. He is under pressure as

he is charged down. The ball is spinning around and it is still

alive. The drop goal chance has now gone for the time being.

No, there is the last chance gone for Cardiff Blues. Despair for the

home side. STUDIO: You rather suspect the Blues will be kicking

themselves at not managing to win that game. Defeat in awful weather.

We will talk about game management but just on the positives, whether

like that, you need your ball carriers to stand up and be counted.

The weather made a lottery of the game in many ways. This player was

outstanding. Going in at half-time 6-3 down, you

would have taken that, but they have lost their shape and discipline and

game management in the second half. They thought they had done enough in

the first half. That seemed to coincide with the departure of

Gareth Anscombe. I couldn't understand why, if they had to take

him off because of the Welsh team situation, but going back to the

club, the club must dictate when the player can come off or on. It is

your livelihood. The Blues are in a situation where they want to win

every game. The union apparently requested that he only play 40, 50

minutes. That is to the detriment of the region. If you are in a tight

game and you want him to control the game, to win the game, hopefully

that they would understand that it was a difficult situation. The Blues

that every thing right. First half, they kept it tight, they were just

three points behind. That game was there to win. In the second half,

with the wind is so strong, they played the whole game on the

Leinster 22. You drop goal, you wait for mistakes and penalties and you

win the game, just because the wind at your back. And it didn't happen.

And the breakaway, this one tried. They are short on the right-hand

side, the short side, No. 8 picks the ball up, and he is away. What

you have to do here is, he has to go with him, Fish. The trouble is, if

he takes out the full-back, the No. 8 will be caught with the Blues

pressing. Little things like that make such a big difference. With

Gareth Anscombe going off, not playing the game on the right areas,

not taking opportunities when they were there, and then, that one

mistake and try for Leinster takes the game away from them. It was

there for them to win. It was an easy win for them. We talked about

the Dan Lydiate yellow card and penalty, Fergus McFadden met a

similar fate. To me, again, it was no penalty. He was looking to wrap

both arms. If anybody's going to do damage themselves, Fergus McCann --

Fergus McFadden. Like Jonathan said earlier, sometimes people don't

understand, if you make a good contact with your shoulder, the

player bounces off, and you cannot simultaneously try. I think the

referee has gone to see on the TMO and given it has yellow card. I'm

not sure, there should be different rules on this one. Those decisions

are crucial. And it could be people's livelihoods, at the end of

the day. They are on about the refereeing in the Pro12 that is not

consistent, not good. Nigel Owens is there on Friday night on the

touchline, and then he is refereeing up in Swansea. The best referees

have got to referee the best games in the Pro12. I don't understand why

the best referees are not refereeing the best games. Those decisions, at

the end of the day, are crucial for the regions. Let's move on to the

Dragons. And for Lyn Jones and his men it was a trip to Treviso.

Dragons travel to Treviso looking for their first away win of the

season. Adam Amos was back. On the other wing, Ashton Hewitt was

looking to continue his red-hot streak of form.

Treviso, looking to get some with honour. And it comes to Esposito.

The Dragons to fence is all over the place. -- defence. Esposito with the

try. The worst possible start for Dragons. Nick cut has the ball very

firmly up the jumper. Pretorius directing operations. Cross well in,

for a bit of extra momentum. Lovely inside ball. Hallam Amos on the

switch. And the young winger is through for the try to impress

Warren Gatland. Treviso, crashing away, taking Route one in this last

minute of the first half. Paulo has got it down. The former Blues man

with his first league try for Treviso. And it goes outside to

Hayward. Hayward, still going. Nic Cudd in with the tackle. Almost up

to the Dragons 22. Away by Lucchese. Christie, popping up in the centre.

Christie, it goes past one tackle, through the tackle from Ben Wright,

and Treviso, they extend their lead. Nic Cudd, barrelling forward. One

metre out. Davis waits. Away to Cory Hill. He has got a down and the

Dragons are back in it on the hour mark. And that is back in the

pocket, the youngster goes the glory with a drop goal. It has rattled the

post and it is bouncing loose. It is coming back on the visitors' side.

Davis, aching it out. Amos with the chance to go for the corner. He is

in touch, and time running out on the Dragons. Dragons had chances at

the end but failed to cross the line. Two wins out of two for

Treviso after losing run of 26 games in competitions. We won't dwell too

much on the defeat, James. Hallam Amos making a return to the Dragons,

released from the Wales squad. And showing Warren Gatland what he is

capable of. Yes, that is a nice try for him. Nice to get him back

playing. They will be disappointed. Not to win that game. People talking

about Jones and Cuthbert wing for the Blues and both playing for that

vacant wing spot, would have steam ahead of them, for you? He is

certainly different. More creative probably, than the other two. I

think Warren Gatland has said that he sees him going forward as a 15.

So he thinks he is not ready or quick enough for the wing. Anyone

else that you could chuck into the mix? We need somebody to break the

game up. We play a very structured game and we try to evolve and go

wider, but if we have got a problem on that win, I would throw in Martin

Morgan. We need somebody to break up that first line of defence and then

go wide. So I'm thinking, he plays full-back for Wales, why not maybe

put him on the wing and see what happens? Matthew Morgan onto the

wing for Wales against France. We will talk about that selection

later. Two other sorts to bring you from the weekend. Glasgow return to

winning ways with a timely victory over Munster. A hat-trick of tries

from Matt Healy helped, not to lay comprehensive victory over Zebre in

Parma. That victory returned Connacht to the top of the table.

Those spots seem to change the week. Scarlets have leapfrogged Ulster.

That top four is by no means a closed shop. All of the teams

beneath them still firmly in contention, Laszlo still with two

games in hand. That is the Pro12 wrapped up. Over to Beth and it was

a challenging weekend for the Premiership sides. Just one game

played in the Principality Premiership because of a very wet

weather. It was Newport against Bridgend. Despite Rodney Parade

being the home of three different teams and with the pitch having

problems this season it was the only ground passed fit to play yesterday.

Frewin led out Newport on his 100th appearance. The ravens, without a

win in the Premiership since November, had a terrible start. The

opening try came after two minutes, then the black and amber side

doubled their lead. Despite the conditions, both sides were looking

to play attacking rugby. This converted try got the visitors back

in the game. A line-out and drive gave Newport the lead of 24-8. Then

they turned red for the second half, different colours, but the same

result. Claiming a bonus point. As conditions worsened, after 80

minutes, it was the black and ambers who took four points. Newport have

gone top ahead of Pontypridd with just three points separating the top

five teams. So Rick has been

where he met It

the top end of the game. I have been talking to Llanelli Warriors, which

were formed to help people with learning difficulties played a game.

They have a challenge from a similar side in Swansea, the gladiators.

Then they played home and away sides. We have boys without

disabilities but half of them have got a disability.

disabilities but half of them have rugby for anything. It has was been

thought of as an inclusive game. It has been described as the thinking

men's game, but it is a game for everybody. You cannot just go flat

out and commitment. You have got to give people a bit of space. They

have to try and process what to do next.

Scarlets? Yes! They have all got Blues shirts. Just wanted to pot in

and say, well done, mate. It shows that people get this. They get it,

they get what it is about. It is about the experience for these boys.

Coming up to Cardiff is one on its own and playing on this pitch

against a different type of side. I don't care what people say about

this ability is because at the end of the day, we have lots of people

coming to us and telling others what a good job we have done.

If you would like to find out more about integrated rugby, you can go

onto the website... Sir Ian Botham, the former England Test cricketer,

his grandson James played a training match for Wales against St Helens at

Leicester Academy. The squad is excited be announced tomorrow to

face France next month. Before we go on to discuss Wales against France,

Jonathan Davies and Luke Charteris missed games at the weekend due to

injury. I spoke to a member of the coaching staff at Clermont with

regard to Davies' groin injury. They said that the situation is ongoing

and complicated. We have not heard back from Luke Charteris's club

about his injury. We spoke to Luke Charteris on radio in the week and

he played down his knee injury. Hopefully it is not something we

should be too concerned about what we will talk about Wales selection

now because Wales against France is just five days away. JJ Williams has

scored! Martyn Williams! Yes! So, let's talk selection. Worst case

scenario, Jonathan Davies does not make it. Does George North just

slide in at 13 against the French? Especially with Cory Allen going off

again yesterday. Just fingers crossed Jonathan is, it is only more

of a tactical injury than anything else. I think that George and Jamie

in the centre, it is a big centre partnership. Hopefully, everyone

will be fit but it is going to be a tough game. The biggest worry for us

is that France have won two games. I have watched them twice. I am not

sure what they are trying to do. They tried to play the off-load

game, going wide with the fours, so there's structure, but the one thing

that has shone through for me, having been in Paris is that now, it

feels like they all want to play for France again. Maybe in under the

previous regimes, this man is playing exceptionally well, Maxime

Medard. He is very dangerous. And this is the captain. He takes the

ball, Guilhem Guirado. He takes the ball and he makes big, big hits.

That is a worry, funny. I am not sure what they are going to try and

do against Wales. They are good pack. They carry ball well. They

just cannot seem to put together it as individuals, but with Guy Noves

there, he has illustrated how well they are playing under him, they

have won their first two games. They are capable of playing exceptionally

well. Those are two games that they could easily have lost, they only

won the games by an aggregate of three points. Defensively, they are

all over the place. There are so many opportunities. This is 55

seconds. They have gone three phases. Although the French backs or

on the far side. I think whoever is fit at 13 this week, you would

expect this, maybe 75 minutes, to be disorganised and tired, but that is

after 55 seconds. They defend so narrowly, I think whoever plays at

13 and 15 for us, it is a massive opportunity. And if we go through

phases and keep ball, they are so disjointed, there was huge

opportunities there. If Wales play a high tempo, ball in play, a fast

game, they are going to be found wanting. But with the atmosphere in

the principality stadium, it will be electric on Friday. They will come

and think, they can win the Grand Slam. This is their big game. Not

like going to Scotland. This is their big game. They played at home,

at the end. I can imagine they would be very fired up to come and play

against Wales. Where else to win? Yes. Yes. You have said it, fifth

time in a row. Wales against France is on BBC television and radio on

Friday night. The omens are good for Wales. They have not lost to France

since the World Cup semifinal in 2011. I cannot really remember that

game. The omens are good, for a narrow, can they make it five? I

hope so. See you on Friday. -- four in a row, can they make it five?