Leinster v Scarlets

:00:22. > :00:29.Just two games away from the end of season show piece. Can Johnny Sexton

:00:30. > :00:34.help guide his team-mates to a record seventh final appearance.

:00:35. > :00:40.He's accompanied by fellow Lions who will be desperate for a win at the

:00:41. > :00:46.RDS. The Scarlets are underdogs. John Barclay leads the side. Rob

:00:47. > :00:52.Evans is keen to make history for his home region.

:00:53. > :01:10.No more opportunities... Will pass our door... And this is our ship.

:01:11. > :01:17.One letter and two Os... Divide us on our way. This is the location

:01:18. > :01:24.that we choose. To plant the deepest root... And

:01:25. > :01:31.this is the location... Of the heaviest blood... Which threatens to

:01:32. > :01:39.drown us... This is our time... Come on Scarlets! Come on Scarlets! Come

:01:40. > :01:45.on Scarlets... Come on the Scarlets...

:01:46. > :01:55.They have only won once at the RDS. That was ten long years ago. This is

:01:56. > :02:01.knock-out rugby. A place in the final is at stake. Wayne Pivac's men

:02:02. > :02:11.have played with flare this season. They fear no-one. Welcome to Scrum V

:02:12. > :02:17.live. The first of two Pro12 semi-finals. Onthan Davies and Sean

:02:18. > :02:22.joining me this evening. How good is it to have two Welsh regions in the

:02:23. > :02:26.semi-finals Above Glasgow and Ulster, it is a great achievement

:02:27. > :02:30.for both of them. It is a shame they've had to travel away. Maybe

:02:31. > :02:35.next year get higher. The odds are stacked against them. No shortage of

:02:36. > :02:39.passion. They would have been struck by the blow that Ken Owens is out. A

:02:40. > :02:45.big loss. The theme of their season is how they have developed this next

:02:46. > :02:50.layer of youngers. And he is an able deputy. . They will miss Ken's

:02:51. > :02:59.leadership. He's been really on form. Dezered the selection. Jake

:03:00. > :03:03.Ball a miss. Very experienced A strong looking team, irrespective of

:03:04. > :03:05.how Leinster are at the RDS. Great to have John Barclay in his

:03:06. > :03:14.leadership to call upon. There are a couple of special guests

:03:15. > :03:18.with Phil. Where are you, Phil? Thank you very musm.

:03:19. > :03:25.100,000 welcomes as they say in these parts. A great atmosphere

:03:26. > :03:32.here. A great sense of expectation. Paul and Martin are with me. Is this

:03:33. > :03:36.mission impossible for the Scarlets? They have not won away in a

:03:37. > :03:40.semifinal and not many win here anyway. When you look at the form

:03:41. > :03:43.the Scarlets have had over the last month or so. Leinster have hit their

:03:44. > :03:47.form this season, compared to last. The reason why they are getting

:03:48. > :03:56.quick ball, great presentation, identifying space and even the

:03:57. > :04:00.marquee players, missing. You have Carbery at full-back. Such

:04:01. > :04:04.an exciting attacker. He's also making Johnny Sexton play better by

:04:05. > :04:10.giving him a second option, a passing op shn U it will be very,

:04:11. > :04:14.very tough. There are weaknesses in the Leinster line-out-out. If they

:04:15. > :04:18.can attack Joey Carbery, it is a defensive case. What is the case for

:04:19. > :04:22.the prosecution then, Martin? You have won here with The Blues in your

:04:23. > :04:27.time. What does it take to win at the RDS? Have the Scarlets got what

:04:28. > :04:31.it takes. I don't think they have lost a semifinal in the Pro12

:04:32. > :04:38.Leinster. Look at the guys who are involved. Shows a length and depth.

:04:39. > :04:42.The Scarlets have the quality. Look at the Williams, on fire at the

:04:43. > :04:46.minute. If they can get up front, then they will cause Leinster prons.

:04:47. > :04:50.The pressure -- problems. The pressure is off. Speaking to Stephen

:04:51. > :04:56.Jones, they are confident, relaxed. It should be a great night. Two

:04:57. > :05:02.sides that love playing attacking rugby. Cannot wait for it. What a

:05:03. > :05:08.track, indeed. Interesting stuff from the boys

:05:09. > :05:11.there. It should be an important, exciting game. Leinster are abrasive

:05:12. > :05:15.in getting off the line. They are looking to come hard in the

:05:16. > :05:20.mid-field and knock down the Scarlet centres. Look for that tonight. What

:05:21. > :05:24.they tend to do is they come out very individually, leaving space the

:05:25. > :05:30.inside. If the Scarlets can hold their depth, look at Connacht here,

:05:31. > :05:34.subtle skills. Look for James Davies and Aaron Shingler.

:05:35. > :05:37.In recent weeks I have been Lording this Scarlets attack. Both sides

:05:38. > :05:40.pulling back. That means that Leinster will have to defend the

:05:41. > :05:44.short side and both sides of the ruck. That means on this openside

:05:45. > :05:51.they could be found wanting a little bit short. With Jonathan Davies and

:05:52. > :05:55.Liam Williams this is an area they could exploit. If they get into the

:05:56. > :06:02.wider channels often enough they could pose Leinster a threat. So a

:06:03. > :06:06.potential weakness for Leinster. Scarlets have been doing that all

:06:07. > :06:10.season. It could be their weakness and their strength. If the Scarlets

:06:11. > :06:13.don't work out how to beat the defence, it will be a long evening

:06:14. > :06:18.for them. They are full of confidence. The difference for me

:06:19. > :06:21.for the Scarlets is the front five are putting balls through the hands

:06:22. > :06:24.as well F they hold the inside of the Leinster men, then the

:06:25. > :06:27.opportunities will be out wide. If it will Mr Difficult. Early on if

:06:28. > :06:31.they get an inside ball and hit that gap on the inside, maybe they can

:06:32. > :06:39.exploit it and slow the Blitz pace down a bit then. I am sure the

:06:40. > :06:43.Scarlets' head coach will feel he's studying all the weaknesses all

:06:44. > :06:46.week. He also had some time for some down time.

:06:47. > :07:04.You left all your gear in there! # Be there till the end of time

:07:05. > :07:12.# So, you've got to let me know # Should I stay or should I go...

:07:13. > :07:20.# It's always tease... # Should I stay or should I go

:07:21. > :07:32.# Preparations have gone well.

:07:33. > :07:37.It was fun with the boys. You are losing Ken Owens tonight. How big a

:07:38. > :07:42.loss is he, but as a hooker in great form and a leader? He's a great

:07:43. > :07:54.loss. He's played very well. British Lions. A great loss. Not many teams

:07:55. > :07:58.win here, how do you get a victory? Perform like we did against the

:07:59. > :08:03.Ospreys. It will be fiercely competitive across the park. Make

:08:04. > :08:08.sure we front up the men in the physicality stakes. All the best.

:08:09. > :08:12.Thank you. We have two of the best counter attacking teams in the

:08:13. > :08:16.Guinness Pro12, in this semifinal tonight. They score lots of tries

:08:17. > :08:21.from lose play. Kicking will be very important tonight. We saw what the

:08:22. > :08:24.Scarlets did against the Ospreys. Aaron Shingler on the end. Very

:08:25. > :08:32.often on the inside. Back in March, in the league game at the RDS, the

:08:33. > :08:37.Scarlets kicked poorly. The team found a weakness in the Scarlets'

:08:38. > :08:41.defence with this cross-field kick. Also look out for Carbery. Counter

:08:42. > :08:46.attacking at his best. Young players who want to attack. Again, a lose

:08:47. > :08:50.kick from Johnny Mcnicholl, they are pulling back on the top of the

:08:51. > :08:53.screen Looking to counter attack. Later they identify this cross-field

:08:54. > :08:58.kick. Look out for Sexton doing that tonight. I think that both sides

:08:59. > :09:00.have to have a top kicking game to really stop the opposition from

:09:01. > :09:07.counter attacking. So no specialist fly back for the

:09:08. > :09:13.Scarlets. That means if the Scarlets are to get their kicking strategy

:09:14. > :09:18.right, a lot of weight falls on the shoulders tonight. The strategy or

:09:19. > :09:22.the battle, it is being clinical in making the right decisions. Are they

:09:23. > :09:25.going to be under pressure - it will be an intense game. They have to

:09:26. > :09:28.make the right decisions at the right time. They will create

:09:29. > :09:34.opportunities for themselves. They have got, what has been good for the

:09:35. > :09:38.Scarlets is they have Mcnicholl in and the execution of passes, even on

:09:39. > :09:42.the short time. If they are clinical and do the core skills right, then

:09:43. > :09:49.and hopefully not try too hard. Some of the footage we saw in that piece

:09:50. > :09:53.there was that 45-9 defeat. The last defeat the Scarlets suffered in the

:09:54. > :09:56.league. Will that any bearing on the match tonight? Not at all. It will

:09:57. > :10:01.be trap door and end of the season if you don't win it. They realise

:10:02. > :10:06.what they have to do. But think they have the players there capable of

:10:07. > :10:15.doing Something Special. As was said, getting parity up property

:10:16. > :10:21.front. -- getting parity up front. So we have heard the thoughts of

:10:22. > :10:22.Wayne. Now let's hear from his opposite number.

:10:23. > :10:30.. Most rugby stages have when ter down

:10:31. > :10:33.as favourites. How do you -- have Leinster down as favourites. How do

:10:34. > :10:38.you cope with the expectation? We are very focussed on ourselves. We

:10:39. > :10:41.know we have come to this home semifinal. Come off the

:10:42. > :10:45.disappointment of losing a semifinal in Europe. For us it is about

:10:46. > :10:49.learning the lessons that we unfortunately, painfully, had to

:10:50. > :10:53.experience that day in loin and understand how we can -- Lyons and

:10:54. > :10:59.understand how we can handle it better. We've had good days at the

:11:00. > :11:04.RDS this year. It is about focussing on ourselves to put in a big

:11:05. > :11:07.performance. We are not concerned about the external pressure. We are

:11:08. > :11:20.always trying to get that bit better. In a word, what do you

:11:21. > :11:28.expect from the Scarlets? Good intensity. We mention Lions, the

:11:29. > :11:35.Scarlets' back line is irresistible at times. Who are you looking out

:11:36. > :11:39.for? You have to mention Steff Evans. He's looked for the ball,

:11:40. > :11:43.he's linking up with his other backs. He deserves a spot on the

:11:44. > :11:48.Welsh tour. But this Guy's still key. He'll be key defensively,

:11:49. > :11:55.because Scarlets can run at him, hopefully. And offensively he brings

:11:56. > :12:02.everyone in the game. Which then, this guy is great. You know, and his

:12:03. > :12:07.battle with jaim Davies. Again all about the front five. Whoever gets

:12:08. > :12:15.the upper hand will give these boys the upper hand. If that is the case,

:12:16. > :12:19.two up and ciders and who is on the front foot will have a massive

:12:20. > :12:22.influence on the game. It is an exciting encounter because you are

:12:23. > :12:26.looking at it, thinking, I think the Scarlets, on the way they are

:12:27. > :12:29.playing, and confidence is a massive thing in sport. They are playing

:12:30. > :12:34.with a lot of confidence, especially on the back of the Ospreys.

:12:35. > :12:38.Irrespective of how well or badly maybe the Ospreys did play, the

:12:39. > :12:44.Scarlets put the Ospreys away, which they have not done for a long time.

:12:45. > :12:54.Time we returned for #1y5i78s Davies. -- for James Davies. In an

:12:55. > :12:58.open game he could be crucial. He'll be in that wide channel a lot. It

:12:59. > :13:01.has played dividends. The winning momentum they have got. The winning

:13:02. > :13:07.confidence. They should not hold back. Don't keep anything back. Go

:13:08. > :13:17.and play. No silly errors will give Leinster points. Go and play. Enjoy

:13:18. > :13:21.it. I think, as we said, Patchell he's got a good kicking game, he's

:13:22. > :13:27.got pace. He's a big lad. He's got to keep it cool. Don't try and push

:13:28. > :13:31.things because if they get turned over, a poor kick, Leinster will cut

:13:32. > :13:37.lose. We have heard all about the odds tonight. Leinster rarely lose

:13:38. > :13:41.at Dublin, at home. It is 26 games they have gone unbeat no-one the

:13:42. > :13:45.Pro12, against all opposition. It is a tall order for these guys. As the

:13:46. > :13:48.boys have been saying, they are playing we nor mouse confidence and

:13:49. > :13:53.they believe they can do it. Let's find out if they can. We go to

:13:54. > :13:56.Dublin and join our commentary team for the night.

:13:57. > :14:03.Thanks very much indeed. The Scarlets are out there.

:14:04. > :14:28.Liam Williams could play his last game in a Scarlets Jersey.

:14:29. > :14:36.Evans, the top try scorer. Dark clouds have just gathered. The

:14:37. > :14:41.wind has picked up. But it has been a lovely day in

:14:42. > :14:47.Dublin. It is dry and as the boys were saying earlier, it is a great

:14:48. > :14:53.track, made for running. And we have two teams who like to play running

:14:54. > :14:58.rugby. Leinster have scored more tries and more points than anybody

:14:59. > :15:02.in the history of the Pro12 this season.

:15:03. > :15:11.They have not finished top. Second against third.

:15:12. > :15:15.As two Lions in waiting, at prop, in McGrath and Furlong.

:15:16. > :15:21.Hayden Triggs playing his final game before retirement. Jack Conan made

:15:22. > :15:24.the Pro12 Dream Team. Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw with only four

:15:25. > :15:27.appearances each this season. But back for the big one. The dangerous

:15:28. > :15:37.Joey Carbery moves to full-back. Hadleigh Parkes has played in every

:15:38. > :15:58.game. Rhys Patchell having a final word.

:15:59. > :16:06.Johnny Sexton, experienced, back here after a couple of years in

:16:07. > :16:12.Paris. The referee this evening, Romanian

:16:13. > :16:21.born, but representing the Italian federation rugby, Marius Mitrea.

:16:22. > :16:33.As always a decent crowd in the RDS. Pockets of red around. One big bank

:16:34. > :16:37.of red away to our left, that is behind the goal post which will be

:16:38. > :16:42.defended by the Scarlets in this first half. All the statistics

:16:43. > :16:46.against the Scarlets. Nobody's ever one an away semifinal. It is over

:16:47. > :16:52.two years since Leinster have lost a league game here at the RDS. But the

:16:53. > :16:59.Scarlets come here in great form and full of confidence.

:17:00. > :17:27.Interesting they have gone with Josh van der Flier.

:17:28. > :17:45.And on halfway, Samson Lee carries. Pressure on James Davies from

:17:46. > :17:49.Sexton. He didn't try and get the ball away. Sensibly done. Held on to

:17:50. > :18:23.it for support to arrive. Hayden Triggs, the New Zealander, in

:18:24. > :18:27.his last game, or last game here at the RDS. Could well be in Aviva if

:18:28. > :18:38.they make the final. McGrath with the off-load.

:18:39. > :18:43.James Tracy... Just about smuggling it back.

:18:44. > :18:47.Sexton, not too much width. That's good, intelligent play.

:18:48. > :18:53.Narrow channel down the middle, though.

:18:54. > :19:02.The ball staying alive for the opening couple of minutes. Slow

:19:03. > :19:06.progress. But progress for Leinster. Joey Carbery's had a tremendous

:19:07. > :19:14.first season the Aucklander. McGrath again with a carry.

:19:15. > :19:25.Jack Conan rides the tackle of Lewis Rawlins.

:19:26. > :19:32.The home crowd get in on the act. Van der Flier... A dozen phases in

:19:33. > :19:34.the build-up for the home team. The Scarlets cannot get their hands

:19:35. > :19:41.on the ball at the moment. There's nothing fancy, but it's

:19:42. > :19:49.progress from Leinster. Ringrose...

:19:50. > :20:03.Ross Molony... Sexton fires it out. Beats his man and it won't count.

:20:04. > :20:07.Marius Mitrea has called them back. The blue flags are flying.

:20:08. > :20:18.Thought he had the opener. We were pretty much in line with

:20:19. > :20:26.that and he did carry, did drift a little bit.

:20:27. > :20:36.Kept the ball, such a well organised team. Everybody does their job well.

:20:37. > :20:41.James Davies on the path, just to remove the testing man at the ruck.

:20:42. > :20:43.Really, really efficient. It is an area the Scarlets will have to try

:20:44. > :20:54.and slow the ball down. Jack McGrath is the man down.

:20:55. > :21:08.Winching. He's struggling a little bit.

:21:09. > :21:13.Disappointment earlier for The Blues. They will not play in the top

:21:14. > :21:20.tire of Europe next year because after a good start they were 14-3 up

:21:21. > :21:23.but lost. I thought they stood a good chance in the Stade Francais.

:21:24. > :21:28.Won the Challenge Cup last week. Would that thought it would have

:21:29. > :21:33.been a heavy week. When you saw 14-3 up, thought there would be a

:21:34. > :21:39.surprise on the card. Stade, worthy winners in the end.

:21:40. > :21:49.So, not to be. We don't want to lose McGrath. It is

:21:50. > :21:53.such a strange one. All these boys will have one eye on the boys who

:21:54. > :21:58.are involved and the Lions tour as well. Out here in Dublin training

:21:59. > :22:02.next week. If you are a player, as difficult as it is, you've got to

:22:03. > :22:08.put that to the back of your mind. You've got a job to do for your club

:22:09. > :22:15.first and foremost. You want to win with your mates. Any 50/50 injuries,

:22:16. > :22:19.get magnified. It is a huge Lions tour, but you want to win trophies

:22:20. > :22:22.as well. You want to be involved in games like this. It is an

:22:23. > :22:26.interesting part of the night this is, the scrum. Obviously no Ken

:22:27. > :22:30.Owens, no Jake Ball. Obviously lost a bit of size, Scarlets.

:22:31. > :22:53.Rob Evans... Samson ... Carbery... Loves running back at

:22:54. > :22:57.defences. Jack Conan has had an excellent

:22:58. > :23:04.season. Four tries in the league for him.

:23:05. > :23:18.The ball in the opening five minutes is with the men in blue. Sexton

:23:19. > :23:56.running the show. Sexton shoots out the line. Has to

:23:57. > :24:01.be a weakness as well. I am sure they'll work on that. Asking a lot

:24:02. > :24:05.of Mcnicholl. Knew the ball was knocked on. Cannot

:24:06. > :24:36.afford to stop. Leinster won't. No full-back defending.

:24:37. > :24:43.Byrne just dropping back now with Johnny Sexton.

:24:44. > :24:47.A big hit, van der Flier on Evans. Good support though from Davies.

:24:48. > :24:51.Making sure the Scarlets have not lost the ball at the break down.

:24:52. > :24:56.Mcnicholl, looking for those big empty spaces behind. Those were the

:24:57. > :25:06.only two men back. Adam Byrne, strong runner.

:25:07. > :25:13.Sexton just looking up, and the unforced error from the experienced

:25:14. > :25:16.Johnny Sexton. Breathless stuff. Both sides seem to want the keep the

:25:17. > :25:27.ball on the park. It's, you know, that's great work,

:25:28. > :25:31.getting tauf line, putting a hit on Johnny Sexton. No doubt he forced

:25:32. > :25:36.the mistake the next time Sexton gets the ball. Looking up. Great

:25:37. > :26:01.patience so far from the Scarlets in defence.

:26:02. > :26:07.Johnny Mcnicholl alongside Liam Williams to the right.

:26:08. > :26:13.Pressure on the Scarlets' scrum that time.

:26:14. > :26:30.Rawlins... Samson Lee awaits.

:26:31. > :26:36.Not too much happening to the right of Gareth Davies. A slow ball for

:26:37. > :26:43.the Scarlets. Patchell... Deep pass. A chance to try and

:26:44. > :26:48.develop. Steff Evans, close to being forward. That one hasn't been called

:26:49. > :26:55.and Steff Evans goes over for try number 12 of the season. Brilliantly

:26:56. > :26:58.done! Superb hands from John Davis. He's taken a knock though. He's

:26:59. > :27:03.stayed down. A lovely try. Another one. It's on the Scarlet left, the

:27:04. > :27:07.first try comes, not the Leinster one. Brilliant from the Scarlets.

:27:08. > :27:11.Had to defend for the first seven minutes oh this game. Show what they

:27:12. > :27:16.can do when they get the ball together. So dangerous with ball in

:27:17. > :27:20.hand. Patchell, good hands by John Davies as well. Great work from

:27:21. > :27:30.Barclay. Runs at the inside shoulder of Carbery.

:27:31. > :27:37.Puts Evans in the corner. Great play from Jonathan Davies. There's

:27:38. > :27:49.Barclay. Two on one. Good finish. Good pass. Between the three, they

:27:50. > :27:54.created another score, with Steff Evans, which Patchell has converted.

:27:55. > :27:57.They needed a strong start. Leinster are so, so dangerous when they get

:27:58. > :28:00.their tails up. Good hands from Barclay. Good pace.

:28:01. > :28:04.It is what they have done all the last three or four weeks. You saw

:28:05. > :28:10.the last day of the season against the Ospreys. Ball in hands. Great

:28:11. > :28:14.start from the Scarlets. They had to play most of the first

:28:15. > :28:22.ten minutes without the ball. But they did so very well and

:28:23. > :28:28.McGrath, his game has lasted less than ten minutes. Healy on sooner

:28:29. > :28:38.than they would have expected. Let's hope Jack McGrath isn't too

:28:39. > :28:45.seriously and he's OK to get on that plane to New Zealand.

:28:46. > :28:54.Carbery awaits. When the Scarlets came here a couple

:28:55. > :28:58.of months ago they took a hammering. They started off in the right mode

:28:59. > :29:03.this time. . Nothing's come of that. They have to be careful with the

:29:04. > :29:08.Scarlets. They kick chase. The first ten minutes hasn't been great. It's

:29:09. > :29:11.too easy for Carbery. His first instinct is to run. And it's good

:29:12. > :29:15.from Leinster. They get bodies in the way.

:29:16. > :29:38.Who's there... ? I think Molony. Paul, what have you made of the

:29:39. > :29:42.first ten? Yes, good work by Leinster going

:29:43. > :29:48.forward. I thought in defence, very easy to split open by the Scarlets

:29:49. > :29:53.and the players who were earmarked, Carbery, we all know how good he is

:29:54. > :29:58.with ball in hand. Defending there, Davies, planted something a

:29:59. > :30:02.full-back should never do. Got to put pressure on Davies. Made easier

:30:03. > :30:15.for Steff Evans. The boys are down in the far side,

:30:16. > :30:31.where that move developed and the try was scored.

:30:32. > :30:41.Triggs, round the corner. Bounces off defenders.

:30:42. > :31:01.Tracy under pressure from Shingler. Sexton. Good step by Ringrose.

:31:02. > :31:09.So many comparisons are being made with Ryan O'Driscoll. 22 in January,

:31:10. > :31:15.Garry Ringrose. He's got eight caps for Ireland. He really -- they

:31:16. > :31:19.really do think highly of him and nobody sits higher of him than

:31:20. > :31:24.O'Driscoll himself. He guides, Ringrose, a natural player, close to

:31:25. > :31:29.getting on alliance tour but he has to make up those first tackles

:31:30. > :31:34.because it gets the momentum. Great footwork, great balance. He is

:31:35. > :31:41.penalised John Park for not releasing. -- he's penalised John

:31:42. > :31:44.Barclay the not releasing. The first penalty they've given away. They've

:31:45. > :31:53.been disciplined so far, the Scarlets. A good attacking

:31:54. > :32:00.opportunity for Leinster. Molony slips it down to Van der Flier.

:32:01. > :32:02.Henshaw just overran it slightly. Steff Evans weaves his way past

:32:03. > :32:16.Scott Williams. Just Carbery Bacchin Leinster's

:32:17. > :32:25.half. Great tip by Jonathan Davies. Conan. He looks a very strong

:32:26. > :32:30.runner, does Jack Conan. They took their eye off the ball and they lost

:32:31. > :32:34.it. It's the Scarlets' lightspeed, they are flying up, the Scarlets,

:32:35. > :32:40.and it's catching the Leinster players. Was advantage being played.

:32:41. > :32:46.Scott Williams, a clever pass, almost came unstuck. At 506 basic

:32:47. > :32:50.handling errors from Leinster. A lot of that is to do with the line

:32:51. > :32:54.speed. That's a poor pass, really. That needs to be in front of Henshaw

:32:55. > :33:00.when running at that speed and that angle. This was on but I think it

:33:01. > :33:04.was Carbery just shot out of the line, just spooked Scott Williams

:33:05. > :33:08.who put the kick in. A great hit by John Davis. He's coming into form

:33:09. > :33:19.just at the right time. Fantastic, the last couple of weeks of season.

:33:20. > :33:37.One of Wales' and greats -- Lyons greats.

:33:38. > :33:44.An interesting chat with Gerald earlier, talking about the Lyons and

:33:45. > :33:47.the lack of preparation time and how when he was involved with the Lions

:33:48. > :33:54.in the last two doors they tried to change things but unfortunately got

:33:55. > :33:59.change from English clubs, mainly. I was chatting to his team manager in

:34:00. > :34:04.2009, a crucial tour he was at the forefront of that but so difficult,

:34:05. > :34:08.like you say. Some of the players turn up on the Monday and fly out,

:34:09. > :34:14.in the best competitions, it's very difficult. No space for Gareth

:34:15. > :34:49.Davies, Barclay to Scott Williams. McNicol at stand off. John Davis to

:34:50. > :34:54.touch burn. -- Tadhg Beirne. Great ground gained by Beirne. He's really

:34:55. > :34:59.added to the Scarlets back. James Davis tries to flick it on. Adam

:35:00. > :35:06.Byrne gives chase. Lucky that Johnny McNicholl gathered. Marius Mitrea is

:35:07. > :35:10.playing advantage for the early knock-on. Yes, both sides looked

:35:11. > :35:17.dangerous. It's what they do best, both teams, so many attacking

:35:18. > :35:21.weapons. Here's Tadhg Beirne, great carry. Obviously let go by Leinster.

:35:22. > :35:26.He's really played well over the last few weeks. So has that man,

:35:27. > :35:29.great footwork. You can see how they are encouraged to play, the

:35:30. > :35:33.Scarlets. They are not afraid to throw the 50 50s. Didn't come off

:35:34. > :35:55.that time, but... Quiet crowd. It's usually very

:35:56. > :35:59.rowdy, the RDS, but it's gone very quiet. Apart from the opening four

:36:00. > :36:02.or five minutes when they were building pressure, they thought they

:36:03. > :36:09.were going for the try, they haven't really managed to make any inroads

:36:10. > :36:18.in the Scarlet offence. -- the Scarlets' defence. Strange that the

:36:19. > :36:21.Scarlets may be beforehand thought they would have had a better chance

:36:22. > :36:25.against Munster and Leinster, but they certainly seem to have brought

:36:26. > :36:31.them out early doors. It's a difficult choice, Munster away, or

:36:32. > :36:36.Leinster in the RDS, but if you are going to win you have to beat the

:36:37. > :36:40.best sides whatever, so... It's fairly evenly matched, isn't it?

:36:41. > :36:46.Hardly anybody gave them a chance today. Very encouraged by the first

:36:47. > :36:53.15 or 16 minutes. The final Watt, a mile down the road in the Aviva.

:36:54. > :37:02.What would you give a Scarlets and Ospreys final in Dublin!

:37:03. > :37:12.REFEREE: You both need to work harder. Elbow up. Let's go. Take

:37:13. > :37:32.your space. Let's go, take your space, let's go.

:37:33. > :37:48.He's tired. Its tightness in the calf. Some players were not

:37:49. > :37:55.involved, incredible depth of squad. Nacewa finds grass, but Steff Evans

:37:56. > :38:09.comes across. Sexton on halfway. Slips the tackle. Bumps off another.

:38:10. > :38:13.Physical sides, Jonny Sexton, as he stays down, he's paid for it.

:38:14. > :38:18.Carbery filled in at ten, as he has done so many times this season.

:38:19. > :38:26.Sexton very shaky in getting up. There is Carbery again, to Ringrose.

:38:27. > :38:28.Slips away from Luke McGrath. Shingler making a nuisance of

:38:29. > :38:44.himself. Van der Flier. Penalty for not releasing. I wonder

:38:45. > :38:48.if Jonny Sexton will fancy this one, or if ISA Nacewa has a clearer ahead

:38:49. > :38:53.at the moment. He's taken a need, Jonny Sexton. It poor defence on the

:38:54. > :38:54.kick chase, good step and finish from Sexton. Missed the tackle,

:38:55. > :39:14.doesn't mind the rush, Sexton. REFEREE: Are you cooking? Yes,

:39:15. > :39:16.Sexton. He's stayed down. So it's ISA Nacewa who is going to go for

:39:17. > :39:30.goal. They've lost one Lion in waiting.

:39:31. > :39:34.They won't want to lose another fully fledged Lion as well as Lion

:39:35. > :39:41.in waiting, although it's not looking great at the moment the

:39:42. > :39:47.Jonny Sexton. I think it's just the wind knocked out of him. Ison Nacewa

:39:48. > :39:59.is Leinster's leading points scorer anyway this season.

:40:00. > :40:06.And with a kicking percentage of 84%. That's the result you would

:40:07. > :40:11.expect. Leinster get their first points as we reach the end of the

:40:12. > :40:17.first quarter. The Scarlets lead by 7-3. Phil has some company. I'm with

:40:18. > :40:22.Mark Taylor, the Scarlets' team manager. How pleasing is that,

:40:23. > :40:25.getting the over -- only try? We need to get points on the board and

:40:26. > :40:29.take the sting out of Leinster and their supporters. We are delighted

:40:30. > :40:32.with that. You can see the line speed Leinster bringing against us,

:40:33. > :40:39.putting the skills under pressure. We deal with it pretty well, we need

:40:40. > :40:42.to turn the defence a bit more. I was about a compliment you on that

:40:43. > :40:47.discipline and you gave it away with a penalty, but a told and it's been

:40:48. > :40:54.reasonable? Yes, at the end of the day you have to keep discipline.

:40:55. > :40:58.They'll punish as if they step out of line. Just tell you there's a

:40:59. > :41:06.wind blowing in favour of the Scarlets. Cheers, Phil, I thought

:41:07. > :41:12.there might be. A swirling wind up here with two open ends. Leinster

:41:13. > :41:16.carrying into the wind. There's Sexton, taking another big hit from

:41:17. > :41:22.Lewis Rawlins. Lewis Rawlins has been given licence to fly up and

:41:23. > :41:33.target Sexton. Barclay, with excellent work. Over

:41:34. > :41:38.the ball and winning his team a penalty. Yes, huge from Barclay,

:41:39. > :41:45.just gaining some momentum, Leinster, some great play. Carbery

:41:46. > :41:50.to go wide. Crucial penalty won by Barclay. They have got that in their

:41:51. > :41:53.armoury, with James Davies and Barclay, two of the best in the

:41:54. > :42:05.business. On the ball, winning penalties.

:42:06. > :42:16.Leinster have had plenty of ball in hand, but as yet they've failed to

:42:17. > :42:21.capitalise on that. It's a big, big plus for the Scarlets' defence.

:42:22. > :42:32.Scott Williams dragging Van der Flier with him. Well met by Conan

:42:33. > :42:38.and Tracy. It's gone loose and it's picked up by Luke McGrath. McGrath,

:42:39. > :42:42.into the 22. Steff Evans just about hold them down. What an important

:42:43. > :42:45.tackle that was. The steel, brilliant by Liam Williams,

:42:46. > :42:50.absolutely superb. That saves the day for the Scarlets. The crowd

:42:51. > :42:56.don't like it, but it's superb work by Liam Williams. They have a chance

:42:57. > :43:01.to clear and that's what Gareth Davies does, makes absolutely sure

:43:02. > :43:09.it is out of play, and they can get that rearguard action together once

:43:10. > :43:16.again. Yes, it was high-risk, high reward, trying to make great cover

:43:17. > :43:22.tackle, Steff Evans and he has got back, got over the ball. I think

:43:23. > :43:29.he's in a bad way, Luke McGrath. He's stayed down after. That is

:43:30. > :43:36.great work from Liam Williams. Both wingers there, track back, great

:43:37. > :43:39.workrate. How important can that tackle be in the context of the

:43:40. > :43:49.Scarlets' whole season? The unfortunate thing for Leinster

:43:50. > :44:01.is that it looks as though they are going to lose Luke McGrath.

:44:02. > :44:10.REFEREE: The clear one, you got a couple of penalties for that, so I'm

:44:11. > :44:15.keeping an eye on that. Thank you. He's taken a bang to his head, so at

:44:16. > :44:18.least ten minutes for Luke McGrath and see how that develops. In the

:44:19. > :44:26.meantime let's go back to the pitch side and Phil. Well, you were saying

:44:27. > :44:30.about Steff Evans' last-ditch cover tackle. How impressed were you were

:44:31. > :44:35.with that as a prop? Excellent. Carbery came from behind and Luke

:44:36. > :44:41.McGrath, when he got into a great position, it was a pacey scrum-half,

:44:42. > :44:46.McGrath and also Liam Williams. That action went down at its feet and he

:44:47. > :44:51.held on until the end. It was an exceptional try saving, a

:44:52. > :44:54.match-winning turnover. It all came from the Scarlets' mistake, that's

:44:55. > :44:58.exactly what they don't want to be doing. Oh, Leinster looked like they

:44:59. > :45:01.have been bolstered in the breakdown, committing a lot of

:45:02. > :45:05.numbers to the breakdown early on. Not so many numbers outside. I think

:45:06. > :45:12.scholars have recognised that Tambe are right back in there and have a

:45:13. > :45:16.lot of turnovers. Game on. Thanks, boys. Good to see Luke McGrath

:45:17. > :45:23.trotting off into the changing room, so they may well return inside ball.

:45:24. > :45:28.Ringrose, Garry Ringrose, and that's a strike back from Leinster. The

:45:29. > :45:34.Scarlets may have held him out, but not for long. Lovely inside ball and

:45:35. > :45:37.Garry Ringrose gets the first of evening and the one that edges

:45:38. > :45:40.Leinster I had. You are bombing really well works play from

:45:41. > :45:50.Leinster. Hit that from Henshaw, quick ball. Clever interplay between

:45:51. > :45:57.Jamie Gibson-Park who's just come on and Sexton. A great decoy runners.

:45:58. > :46:01.From a Leinster backs. Here we go. A great carried by Henshaw, gets over

:46:02. > :46:08.the gain line and stop Luke Howell quipped that is. Just that little

:46:09. > :46:15.run, decoy runners everywhere. He's got some wheels, hasn't he,

:46:16. > :46:19.Ringrose. He's still got a bit to do there, but great finish, a crucial

:46:20. > :46:35.score for Leinster at a crucial time. Very well worked try.

:46:36. > :46:43.Nacewa adds that extras and Leinster go ahead by 10-7. Two quality

:46:44. > :46:49.attacking teams here. Yes, it's clever play with the bodies coming

:46:50. > :46:52.in the defensive lines. There's so many runners coming at you at the

:46:53. > :46:56.same time, you are not sure which one to pick. Really good play from

:46:57. > :47:00.Leinster. They need to keep their heads on the Scarlets. We saw the

:47:01. > :47:03.start earlier, 75% possession in the last ten minutes for Leinster. They

:47:04. > :47:12.need to get their hands on the ball, Scarlets.

:47:13. > :47:17.Parkes took his charge down. Gareth Davies in support from Lewis

:47:18. > :47:34.Rawlins. Shingler find some space. Back to

:47:35. > :47:39.Shingler once again. Makes it easy for Aaron Shingler and the Scarlets

:47:40. > :47:41.strike back straightaway. Brilliant, we've mentioned Steff Evans and

:47:42. > :47:44.Jonathan Davies coming into form at the end of the season but that man

:47:45. > :47:50.there has been superb in the last few weeks, really unlucky not to be

:47:51. > :47:54.on the Welsh side. Interesting from Patchell, he's taken a quick drop

:47:55. > :47:59.ball conversion. Some bonus points on offer, as far as I'm aware, book

:48:00. > :48:03.good work from Tadhg Beirne. They seem to have lost their way a little

:48:04. > :48:08.bit, the Scarlets, but Shingler started it off with a bus through

:48:09. > :48:13.the middle, great athlete, great speed. Gareth Davies passed a little

:48:14. > :48:24.bit behind Shingler, but gives it a big vendor, Dejaeghere -- to Jamie

:48:25. > :48:31.Gibson-Park. A great response. Game on, fantastic first 26 minutes. Rhys

:48:32. > :48:38.Patchell's quick conversion. Now Scarlets have regained the lead. I

:48:39. > :48:42.don't think I've seen that before, in the 25th minute, to take a quick

:48:43. > :48:52.drop goal as if you are chasing the game going for the extra bonus

:48:53. > :48:57.point. Interesting tactic. Could it be to avoid the TMO? I don't know.

:48:58. > :49:10.Don't often see this, do you? Shingler had to take the ball

:49:11. > :49:16.standing behind him. He was on top running onto it. He made the most of

:49:17. > :49:32.it. -- he wasn't running onto it. You make the most of it.

:49:33. > :49:41.Tadhg Beirne offering himself again. The ball is spilled and picked up by

:49:42. > :49:46.Henshaw. Kicks away the advantage. Shingler, try scorer, back

:49:47. > :49:53.defending. Helping out by that Steff Evans.

:49:54. > :50:06.Carbery awaits. Goodison Park keeps it in play. It's been knocked

:50:07. > :50:24.forward by the Scarlets anyway. -- Goodison Park keeps it

:50:25. > :50:34.Tatchell, looks long, looks high. Carbery has time. The wind has died

:50:35. > :50:42.down now. Certainly a couple of clicks we saw from Leinster -- kicks

:50:43. > :50:46.we saw from Leinster. Space is there, there's only tricks in the

:50:47. > :50:50.second row. Does the fancier kicks, thank you very much. Gibson-Park

:50:51. > :51:05.goes to the far stand. Just to remind you that the Blues

:51:06. > :51:13.lost their European play-off earlier today, 46-21, Stade Francais's

:51:14. > :51:19.victory. The second play-off semifinal will be at home in Park

:51:20. > :51:28.limerick, 6:15pm kick off tomorrow night. Ospreys facing Munster. Live

:51:29. > :51:34.on S4C. I drive down from Dublin to Limerick tomorrow morning. A tough

:51:35. > :51:44.life, a night in Dublin underwriting limerick! -- and a night in

:51:45. > :51:51.limerick! I tell you what, as Gore here from the Scarlets would make it

:51:52. > :51:55.very interesting, wouldn't it? -- a score here. Scott Williams steps

:51:56. > :51:59.inside and gets the past James Davis. There's Steff Evans and

:52:00. > :52:03.there's Gareth Davies and that is brilliant! That is absolutely

:52:04. > :52:08.brilliant from the Scarlets. You said it, Charles, brilliant to

:52:09. > :52:13.watch. It's just the lines running of load, we've seen a few 50-50s go

:52:14. > :52:16.down and it's high-risk, high reward, but superb when they get it

:52:17. > :52:21.right. They are still dangerous. They have so many line breakers,

:52:22. > :52:24.Scott Williams there, going through Johnny McNicholl, this man got him

:52:25. > :52:32.on the front foot and you just sensed they were building. There he

:52:33. > :52:35.is, just North of Martin, great hands, great work from Steff Evans,

:52:36. > :52:39.because he's given the pasta Scott Williams, who was just followed

:52:40. > :52:44.round and he knows his weight to the try line. Great support on the

:52:45. > :52:47.inside. This is very interesting. Nobody saw this coming. Three

:52:48. > :52:57.converted tries for the Scarlets in the opening half-hour and it is a

:52:58. > :53:03.shell-shocked team. Yes, good linking play from James Davis. They

:53:04. > :53:05.are playing with so much confidence, so much freedom. Brilliant to watch

:53:06. > :53:21.from Scarlets. Well, Leinster desperately need a

:53:22. > :53:25.score now before half-time as Gareth Davies settle things down, puts the

:53:26. > :53:30.ball into play and nothing fancy. Let's hear what Paul Wallace is

:53:31. > :53:34.making of it, with Phil. Thanks, John, Paul, this is uncharted

:53:35. > :53:41.territory for Leinster. 21-10 down after half an hour. They want a

:53:42. > :53:44.comeback? We saw Leinster comeback from bigger margins than this, but

:53:45. > :53:47.they wouldn't have expected to be this far behind at this stage. They

:53:48. > :53:52.started quite well, defended quite well, but just recently, in the last

:53:53. > :53:56.sort of five minutes, the amount of tackles that have been falling off,

:53:57. > :53:59.the line speed has gone and with that the finishing bike Scarlets has

:54:00. > :54:03.been absolutely excellent, great supporting lines and the great rugby

:54:04. > :54:08.we know Scarlets four. They've done it on a dearth of possession, the

:54:09. > :54:15.Scarlets. They have, especially early on. They are growing it Wood

:54:16. > :54:17.into a now. They have more of a cutting edge than Leinster and

:54:18. > :54:21.Leinster putting numbers into the breakdown, they are running lines

:54:22. > :54:26.outside. When you look at the class of the backline you'd expect that.

:54:27. > :54:30.Another thing, the McGrath As have gone off, that's two subs we talked

:54:31. > :54:38.about. Having the bench power will weaken them. It's reverberating

:54:39. > :54:45.around the stand over here. It's not just an attack, Jon Fox is having a

:54:46. > :54:49.huge game. Big players, you need your big players, big names in big

:54:50. > :54:52.games and he's bossing it better night, the Centre is up against

:54:53. > :54:56.fantastic players in Henshaw and Ring rows. He's really doubt Wood

:54:57. > :55:00.laid down a marker, Jonathan Davies, been outstanding. -- he has really

:55:01. > :55:18.laid down a marker. Ring rows, lovely slip up the back,

:55:19. > :55:21.to Beirne. Gibson-Park, Sexton screaming for the ball earlier.

:55:22. > :55:26.Yellow bob yes, James Davis did really well, just slowed it down,

:55:27. > :55:33.made a nuisance of himself. Just enough. Conan Waits, but tricks

:55:34. > :55:44.misses, Shingler. Couldn't get the ball on. -- Triggs misses. The

:55:45. > :55:50.Scarlets, through James Davies, when the penalty at the breakdown. Yes,

:55:51. > :55:54.it's all happening out there, isn't it? Shingler just couldn't get it

:55:55. > :55:59.away. Again, a cracking off-load from ring rows. Scrambling well, the

:56:00. > :56:03.Scarlets, scrambling to get it back. I mentioned James Davies, just

:56:04. > :56:09.slowed the ball down that split second, which frustrated Sexton, and

:56:10. > :56:16.again Hayden Triggs has possession -- loses possession in midfield.

:56:17. > :56:21.Penalty not finding touch though. Wanting a little bit too much

:56:22. > :56:28.distance. Now they'll have to settle for a line-up on halfway. You

:56:29. > :56:33.laborious, it will be crucial little mistakes that can cost you.

:56:34. > :56:36.Fortunately, for Patchell, it hasn't there. Those two will be really

:56:37. > :56:42.happy. They are not showing up but they will feel like it. Yo Bob and I

:56:43. > :56:47.spoke to him on the pitch before the game, really relaxed, really

:56:48. > :56:52.confident. Steff Evans is there from the past from James Davis. Barclay

:56:53. > :56:58.takes it on, off-loading on Scarlets is top drawer. Knocked on in the

:56:59. > :57:04.tackle. But that was great work from the line-out and Steff Evans. He's

:57:05. > :57:09.had a brilliant game, he's coming off his wing, looking for work. Good

:57:10. > :57:18.work by James Davies, smart play from Steff Evans. They were lucky. I

:57:19. > :57:21.think there was the tackle, he knows what he's doing. Brilliant from

:57:22. > :57:26.Steff Evans. Every time he's touched the ball tonight, something has

:57:27. > :57:31.happened. He's in great form. Ross Molony. The yes, just got his hand

:57:32. > :57:37.in. He can get away with those ones. They are on top here, the Scarlets,

:57:38. > :57:41.Korzun -- causing the Leinster defence all sorts of problems.

:57:42. > :57:42.Leinster have only lost once against Welsh opposition this year and that

:57:43. > :57:54.was down at Parc y Scarlets. Gareth Davies to the blindside,

:57:55. > :58:04.Steff Evans. Putting pressure on Jonny Sexton. Gets there. It was

:58:05. > :58:08.carried over, says Marius Mitrea, he's not sure. It's all off. WHISTLE

:58:09. > :58:31.BLOWS. A bit of frustration. Well, the Scarlets certainly not

:58:32. > :58:38.overawed by Leinster. The RDS, or the pressure of the semifinal

:58:39. > :58:44.play-off. Sexton ran into him! In the end, Gareth Davies stood there

:58:45. > :58:48.and Sexton ran into him. So... Like you said, both those players are not

:58:49. > :58:53.going to take a step back. A little bit of handbags will stop nothing in

:58:54. > :59:01.that hopefully Marius Mitrea will just... It's six of one, half a

:59:02. > :59:08.dozen of the other. But with every running it makes it a lot worse.

:59:09. > :59:13.Hopefully the referee will say there was nothing in that for me, just two

:59:14. > :59:25.players who were fired up in a semifinal.

:59:26. > :59:47.REFEREE: Started the handbags... He thinks Caryn Davies started it. --

:59:48. > :59:50.Gareth Davies. He stood in front of him but Sexton carried on into him,

:59:51. > :59:53.thankfully it's going to be a penalty but nothing more.

:59:54. > :00:09.REFEREE: It's just handbags... Is certainly no more than that. Not

:00:10. > :00:17.even that in my book, but they'll go. I'm not the one with the whistle

:00:18. > :00:20.in my hand. The problem for me is if you are referee and you go to the

:00:21. > :00:24.big screen, you've got to give something. It would have been dozed

:00:25. > :00:29.Wood so difficult for Marius Mitrea to say nothing and just play on,

:00:30. > :00:36.because the crowd are going bananas. I agree with you, pull the two guys

:00:37. > :00:45.together and say look, boys, get on with the game. A crucial three and a

:00:46. > :00:49.half minutes here for the Scarlets. If they can go in with an 11 and a

:00:50. > :00:57.half point lead at half-time, it's a long way back.

:00:58. > :01:06.Looking for the break. Looking for the off-load.

:01:07. > :01:08.Neither coming. Hadleigh Parkes, no real way through

:01:09. > :01:16.for him either. Scarlets defence has been

:01:17. > :01:19.outstanding. It has been good. They are coming off the line well.

:01:20. > :01:29.They are staying connected. The crowd are getting more and more

:01:30. > :02:02.involved and more and more agitated. McGrath has gone off and is staying

:02:03. > :02:28.off. It looks like his head made contact with the floor as well.

:02:29. > :02:37.Steff Evans has gone, this is the better angle here.

:02:38. > :02:47.A double tackle here and he's come down on his head. I think two

:02:48. > :02:51.involved in the tackle. Just the momentum. Ringrose is

:02:52. > :02:57.swinging his body around as well, trying to get back on to the other

:02:58. > :03:04.side. I hate to say this, but this could

:03:05. > :03:08.be red. Because Ringrose has landed, it looks like he's landed on his

:03:09. > :03:15.head. He's tried to make... It's so difficult.

:03:16. > :03:17.Was it a malicious tackle? Not in any sense, you know. I feel for

:03:18. > :03:50.Evans there. The momentum Can you stop the image... The first

:03:51. > :04:00.point of contact. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! It could be red,

:04:01. > :04:16.which... So I'm thinking red here. It's going

:04:17. > :04:24.to be unlucky for Steff Evans. This is going to be red.

:04:25. > :04:29.So, so unlucky. Steff Evans - that is the end of the game for him. His

:04:30. > :04:44.mum and dad were on the flight out yesterday as well. They were hoping

:04:45. > :04:53.to go and see him play... Very, very unlucky. There was only going to be

:04:54. > :04:58.one outcome. Unlucky. Feel sorry for the kid. He's had a great first half

:04:59. > :05:06.as well. No malicious attempt for me in that. It's just the momentum and

:05:07. > :05:12.like I said, the way Ringrose head makes contact with the ground first,

:05:13. > :05:21.you know, it's a red card, so really, really unlucky. What a

:05:22. > :05:32.crucial couple of minutes. That could change the whole complexion of

:05:33. > :05:34.the game. The crowd are getting involved. They could drive Leinster

:05:35. > :05:50.on. They have been brilliant for me in

:05:51. > :05:56.the first half. They have to go at another level. Not hang on, but the

:05:57. > :05:58.next 40 minutes. Down to 14 men. This will become so important.

:05:59. > :06:22.Set-piece-wise. It is frustrating because you go why

:06:23. > :06:29.they were down that area was the area that Davies could see... Oh,

:06:30. > :06:40.well, I was just about to say, brilliant Leinster scrum. But...

:06:41. > :06:54.Need to take their time here. Kill that minute to get in the shed

:06:55. > :07:01.and readjust yourself down to 14 men.

:07:02. > :07:06.Walk as slowly as you can to the line-out. One play, get the ball off

:07:07. > :07:15.the park and regroup. Slightly different complexion on the

:07:16. > :07:18.half time talk now. Still, it's been an excellent first

:07:19. > :07:36.half for the Scarlets. Superb in their first half, they really have.

:07:37. > :07:43.The ball out of play. Bar the final few seconds, that was a job, very,

:07:44. > :07:48.very well done by the Scarlets. Evans gets the first try.

:07:49. > :07:55.Unfortunately for him, ending a red card to his name after an

:07:56. > :08:00.unfortunate tackle. The Scarlets, commiserations to Steff Evans. It is

:08:01. > :08:05.a brilliant effort. Now they have to go out and do the same for another

:08:06. > :08:09.40 minutes. Impressive, attacking rugby from the Scarlets. One little

:08:10. > :08:16.blip on the book and pressure will come on because they're going to be

:08:17. > :08:18.a man short. As it is, they go in, in the lead - Leinster 10, Scarlets

:08:19. > :08:25.21. Phil?

:08:26. > :08:30.John Barclay, what about the red card and how it means you might have

:08:31. > :08:34.to play on next year the second half? It a east not ideal. Steff was

:08:35. > :08:39.playing very well. It is frustrating. We were down there

:08:40. > :08:43.five. A bit of a niggle, 11 points up. It is a bit frustrating from

:08:44. > :08:49.that point of view. We have 40 minutes to go. 11 points up. We have

:08:50. > :08:53.to dig in. Good luck. Thank you very much.

:08:54. > :08:58.It all started so brightly for the Scarlets. That man there has been

:08:59. > :09:05.the two extremes for him - opened the scoring a fantastic try, but a

:09:06. > :09:09.brilliant bit of defence Williams with a turnover and Steff Evans with

:09:10. > :09:12.a tackle. It was not long after that Garry Ringrose showed his pace to go

:09:13. > :09:23.to the line. Two tries in the space of four

:09:24. > :09:28.minutes. Then this is the major, the only talking point really at half

:09:29. > :09:32.time, a real game-changer, potentially, this. Steff Evans shown

:09:33. > :09:38.a red card. Marius Mitrea had no choice after

:09:39. > :09:41.reviewing the footage. Every Scarlets fan and most Leinster will

:09:42. > :09:47.feel sorry for him. It was not malicious. By the letter of the law

:09:48. > :09:52.- right decision? Yes. He came down on his head. It was not malicious.

:09:53. > :09:57.Steff Evans has gone off. I don't think he was helped there. He's got

:09:58. > :10:03.his left arm. He pulls him around. Maybe it is easier for Steff to

:10:04. > :10:08.lift. Lands on his head. Exactly... No malice at all. It is just one of

:10:09. > :10:15.those clumsy tackles and to the letter of the law he's got to go.

:10:16. > :10:21.And as John Barclay said, from, within the 22, a little niggle, a

:10:22. > :10:26.decision against Davies. It could have gone against Sexton, because he

:10:27. > :10:30.ran into him. A man short, but I think the one good thing Leinster

:10:31. > :10:35.have made a lot of handling errors. They had a lot of pressure in the

:10:36. > :10:40.first 20 minutes. Scarlets defended very well. Not like Leinster. They

:10:41. > :10:45.made a lot of knock ones and unforced errors. A brilliant first

:10:46. > :10:48.half. The quality of the tries. They are the ones, when the opportunities

:10:49. > :10:52.come, they have scored. The pressure has always been Leinster. They have

:10:53. > :10:56.not kept possession. It has been a brilliant first half. Put yourself

:10:57. > :11:00.in the dressing room now. You are the coach - how do you cope without

:11:01. > :11:05.a key player for 40 minutes? Is a winger one of the easiest positions

:11:06. > :11:09.to cope with? The easiest jobs... It's not in the studio, you can

:11:10. > :11:15.imagine them in the dressing room right now. The leader has to step

:11:16. > :11:18.up... I said if there is one position, not the player yo could

:11:19. > :11:21.possibly cope with, it would be on the wing. They could manage their

:11:22. > :11:25.defence. Be softer on the outside. The forwards will have to work very,

:11:26. > :11:31.very hard. It is a fitness factor as well. Look at the Leinster bench.

:11:32. > :11:35.Very heavy. Wear them down and take them to the right channel. I imagine

:11:36. > :11:39.they will try and keep hold of the ball as much as they K they will use

:11:40. > :11:44.times to run the clock down a little bit. It is a long way out. They

:11:45. > :11:47.mustn't stop playing with the ball. They have to play the ball. That is

:11:48. > :11:52.where they will miss him. He comes from depth. He's been like an extra

:11:53. > :11:58.full-back. The angles running. Been involved in tries. He's been... It

:11:59. > :12:03.is not the coach now. I cannot even remember what a coach said to me at

:12:04. > :12:07.half time in any game. This is now about rolling your sleeves up,

:12:08. > :12:10.getting stuck in and playing in the right areas. You can manage a

:12:11. > :12:14.winger. If we think Leinster are as good as we think they are, they

:12:15. > :12:19.manipulate position where they will exploit that one extra man. Let's

:12:20. > :12:22.remind ourselves of what the Scarlets will be missing. Prior to

:12:23. > :12:26.that he had been in sensational form and opened the scoring that

:12:27. > :12:28.brilliant try. We mentioned about keeping your depth against this

:12:29. > :12:38.Leinster line speed. Look how deep this is. It is a cute

:12:39. > :12:43.block play. The fact he holds his depth and that run from James

:12:44. > :12:49.Davies, a little block run is very hard to defend. He bought himself

:12:50. > :12:54.enough time. What a wonderful try that was from the Scarlets.

:12:55. > :12:59.Typifying their play. Just watch this, that is the finish. But I

:13:00. > :13:04.thought, a little bit of inexperience from the Leinster back

:13:05. > :13:08.line. If you look at a tackle missed. Jonathan Davies gets the

:13:09. > :13:13.off-load out to the tackle. Byrne is committed to coming in. So, they

:13:14. > :13:17.have got the numbers. Just watch... There he goes. Watch this, Ringrose

:13:18. > :13:23.is going back. He will get to Barclay. We've got Carbery. Not sure

:13:24. > :13:28.he wanted to make a tackle either. He was ready. He should have gone

:13:29. > :13:32.out, communicated with Ringrose. Ringrose would have taken Barclay.

:13:33. > :13:35.But if you have got a lot of players running at you, it is very

:13:36. > :13:39.difficult. That is the inexperience and what the Scarlets have to play.

:13:40. > :13:45.I have to say Jonathan Davies, defensively has been brilliant. They

:13:46. > :13:50.are isolating Sexton and they have got the front two defenders going

:13:51. > :13:54.quickly on him. He's got no option. Jonathan Davies has come up, smashed

:13:55. > :13:59.a couple of boys. It is like the umbrella defence. So a bit of

:14:00. > :14:01.defensive naivety from Garry Ringrose there the build-up to that

:14:02. > :14:08.try. It is a clever play. Just watch

:14:09. > :14:12.Conan. Watch him, he's on the other side. He comes across. He creates

:14:13. > :14:16.the extra man. Scarlets have numbered off very, very well. It is

:14:17. > :14:21.the inside pass from Conan to Ringrose. Look where he's come from.

:14:22. > :14:26.He's wrapped around. He's made the extra mand a had the off-load. A

:14:27. > :14:31.brilliant comeback by Leinster. We need to remind ourselves, despite

:14:32. > :14:36.all the despair, the Scarlets are 21-10 ahead in the RDS. It is a long

:14:37. > :14:39.40 minutes coming up. But they crucially put themselveses into that

:14:40. > :14:44.position with two tries in four minutes. Both brilliantly taken.

:14:45. > :14:48.Superb lines of support and some brilliant finishing. And much like

:14:49. > :14:51.Conan, as Geoff mentioned, the support is crucial. It has been

:14:52. > :14:58.fantastic all season. Go the other side of the ruck and the job of

:14:59. > :15:04.Tracy is to join up with Ruddock. I thought he was running away from

:15:05. > :15:09.Gareth Davies a bit. Fantastic Shingler has been in the past month.

:15:10. > :15:15.This one, it is phenomenal play. Static ball to score from this. This

:15:16. > :15:18.is Steff Evans. He's got the ball here, first receiver. Guess who gets

:15:19. > :15:23.back for a second touch? There he is! That man Gareth Davies runs the

:15:24. > :15:27.good scrum-half line. A quality score. A brilliant try. The support

:15:28. > :15:32.bridge very good. What they have done is carry on from the Ospreys

:15:33. > :15:37.performance with the off-load. If you get off-loads, all of a sudden

:15:38. > :15:41.defence is uncertain of who is taking who. Because the defence then

:15:42. > :15:46.is in sixes and sevens. If they keep the off-loads with the confidence

:15:47. > :15:52.they have, you know, it is important now to start well. The kicking game

:15:53. > :15:56.is going to become more important with Patchell. Misses penalty.

:15:57. > :15:58.Misses the touchline. Go for distance. Just came down. You are

:15:59. > :16:07.21-10 up. Hit the touchline. Get Get on with it. But playing the

:16:08. > :16:11.right areas now. It is still on. It is still on. There are 40 minutes to

:16:12. > :16:12.go. That means there is still a chance of an all-Welsh final this

:16:13. > :16:22.year. Straight to the gap... Come on

:16:23. > :16:27.Ospreys... He scored as easily as that. Good luck Ospreys. We can

:16:28. > :16:32.baetd Munster. He gets a double in quick

:16:33. > :16:37.succession. Good luck, boys. Let's beat Munster!

:16:38. > :16:42.He's too quick... Come on the Ospreys, we are all behind you.

:16:43. > :16:47.Straight through the middle. A superbly taken drive. Come on the

:16:48. > :16:49.Ospreys. We are all behind you! A great try squham what a start for

:16:50. > :17:02.Sam Davies. Come on the Ospreys! You can watch that one tomorrow on

:17:03. > :17:07.S4C. Let's look at the teams. There have been 12 changes to the

:17:08. > :17:09.side that hammered Connacht in the last round.

:17:10. > :17:12.Zebo returns. The big news for the Ospreys, of

:17:13. > :17:27.course, is the return of Wyn Jones. Alan Wyn Jones, how much difference

:17:28. > :17:38.can one man make? He will lead them from the front,

:17:39. > :17:41.that is for sure. There is a recipe to winning in Munster. A lot of

:17:42. > :17:45.things have to go right. I think they will try and make it an arm

:17:46. > :17:49.wrestle. They will try and take it to the last 15 minutes and take it

:17:50. > :17:54.to the game and win it that way. I don't think they have enough on the

:17:55. > :18:00.outside. I think Ashley Beak is a big plus for them. For me the bench

:18:01. > :18:04.is right. You have Cracknell and others. They can change the style of

:18:05. > :18:08.game they want to play. All the guns are back. They know how to beat

:18:09. > :18:14.Munster. It is an emotional occasion. I was talking to Keith

:18:15. > :18:19.Wood on the radio last night and Foley's last game of the season for

:18:20. > :18:22.Munster. There'll be a lot of emotion there. Whether they have

:18:23. > :18:26.controlled it exceptionally well this year, everyone involved in

:18:27. > :18:30.Munster, they have been brilliant. It is very difficult when you know

:18:31. > :18:36.the feeling comes back and it is a last game of the season potentially.

:18:37. > :18:39.And it's, why not? The way the Scarlets have played today shows the

:18:40. > :18:44.other sides are not invincible. 40 minutes to go. So who knows. The

:18:45. > :18:48.first-half performance would have given the Ospreys confidence as

:18:49. > :18:54.well. It will be hugely emotional. We can speak to Paul Wallace who is

:18:55. > :18:57.pitchside for us. They were mentioning the Anthony Foley factor

:18:58. > :19:01.and how it has inspired Munster all season to victories. It will be a

:19:02. > :19:06.hugely uphill task for the Ospreys tomorrow.

:19:07. > :19:19.It certainly has. It's been remarkable Munster season to come

:19:20. > :19:27.back and also he has fitted around. When you talk about that emotion

:19:28. > :19:34.also O' Ryan at home after 12 seasons T Munster pack will be fired

:19:35. > :19:39.up. I am sure Ospreys who have got back in winning ways in Ireland,

:19:40. > :19:44.indeed have had success, they will have... When they see what Scarlets

:19:45. > :19:47.are doing here. It is to take on that Munster pack. Munster in

:19:48. > :19:57.particular has stood out for me this season. That is the area up front. I

:19:58. > :20:03.go with the likes of Kilcoin and Scanlon as well. With Alan Wyn

:20:04. > :20:07.Jones, that is a huge fillip for the Ospreys. At the moment there is not

:20:08. > :20:14.much between all four semi-finalists. It is as good a time

:20:15. > :20:24.as any to win the semifinal. It will be another hum dinninger. 21-10 to

:20:25. > :20:37.the scar r Scarlets. THE COMMENTATOR: They will be a man

:20:38. > :20:55.short. The crowd record for Leinster, 26

:20:56. > :21:02.games at home without defeat over two years since The Dragons were the

:21:03. > :21:08.last team to win here. And yet another final beckons for

:21:09. > :21:14.them. Scarlets, so good in that first

:21:15. > :21:17.half. Still so much to do. Just mention nds the studio the

:21:18. > :21:22.kicking game will be crucial. They are against the wind, Scarlets.

:21:23. > :21:28.Doesn't look like much, but you know, it is against them. So they

:21:29. > :21:31.are kicking from not just Patchell, from Gareth Davies will be crucial.

:21:32. > :21:34.Interesting they have gone off the park, whereas in the first half they

:21:35. > :21:39.were looking to keep the ball on the park, the Scarlets. The first kick

:21:40. > :21:46.has gone off. Don't see much of the Leinster driving line-out so far.

:21:47. > :21:47.That is the Scarlets' pack. Nullified, they have been superb in

:21:48. > :22:05.defence. It is key for the Scarlets. You need

:22:06. > :22:10.numbers on your feet, you are down to 14 men. Don't over contest. Make

:22:11. > :22:15.sure you have bodies in that defensive line. Joey Carbery...

:22:16. > :22:22.And Leinster, as they did in the first half, starting with ball in

:22:23. > :22:41.hand and going through the phases. Inside ball Ruddock...

:22:42. > :23:00.Brilliant first set from the Scarlets.

:23:01. > :23:11.He's OK. We have a line-out.

:23:12. > :23:20.We hear that Jack McGrath got a stinger on the shoulders. Should be

:23:21. > :23:23.fine. In Lions' terms. There is Steff Evans in the changing room at

:23:24. > :23:29.half time. I wonder what is going through his mind now. It is tough

:23:30. > :23:36.for him. Really tough. Winning the first Welsh cap in the summer.

:23:37. > :23:38.Wonder if that's in jeopardy now. He fully deserves to win it, too.

:23:39. > :23:44.Absolutely. Scott Williams with a carry up to

:23:45. > :24:02.the 10-metre line. Lee, quick hands from Scott

:24:03. > :24:08.Williams, but missing his man and Daviess at the end, just looking for

:24:09. > :24:12.a bit of territory. . Sensible play from Davies. He was on the quick

:24:13. > :24:18.hands, on from Scott Williams. Just the execution. Did have the numbers

:24:19. > :24:25.on the outside. Interesting speaking to Paul,

:24:26. > :24:29.Carbery... I would be tempted just to put a few on him in this half.

:24:30. > :24:52.Hasn't looked great in the air. In comes Sexton.

:24:53. > :24:56.Patchell, Samson Lee straight at Hayden Triggs.

:24:57. > :25:17.In on the angle comes James Davies. Ruddock looks to strip the ball in

:25:18. > :25:24.the tackle. Van der Flier doing the same.

:25:25. > :25:45.Gareth Davies managing to keep it in Scarlet hands.

:25:46. > :26:11.Rhys Ruddock again doing the donkey work.

:26:12. > :26:21.Is that straight out? It certainly is.

:26:22. > :26:27.Great defence from the Scarlets. Slows it down. Really frustrating

:26:28. > :26:29.the Leinster half. Poor error really. Nothing kick.

:26:30. > :26:45.Time off. You understand? Show you're going on

:26:46. > :26:56.the ball, OK? The clock is stopped. Got his angles completely wrong.

:26:57. > :27:05.We have an HIA for number six, blue. Rhys Ruddock is going to go off for

:27:06. > :27:27.the head injury assessment. Dan Leavy comes on. Good prospect

:27:28. > :27:29.Dan Leavy. Byrne takes Leinster, try and hold

:27:30. > :27:44.him up and maul, has been called. Over the 15 there. No offsideline. I

:27:45. > :27:50.think it was Leavy, or was it, it might have been Josh van der Flier.

:27:51. > :27:55.Straightaway, down the back, wins the scrum for Leinster. A great

:27:56. > :27:58.throw. A good line-out. Got all the 15.

:27:59. > :28:16.Healy has gone around from the inside.

:28:17. > :28:27.Positive again, OK? Square. Other games are going on, not just

:28:28. > :28:36.the play-offs. Phil, you still have a good field guide for us.

:28:37. > :28:51.Neath against Newport, tomorrow and then Sunday it is the final. Who

:28:52. > :28:57.will win that one? Rhydyfelin, what a season. Just shows you the rugby

:28:58. > :29:00.they are playing. Playing going for a four-time record, winning the

:29:01. > :29:07.tournament four times. It will be a tough proposition. Got a ticket? No,

:29:08. > :29:11.but I'll get a flight back over to Bridgend with you. A rugby

:29:12. > :29:14.encyclopaedia, isn't he? He slipped there Rob Evans. Lots of

:29:15. > :30:11.pushing and shoving. Very solid from the Scarlets. Only

:30:12. > :30:13.got seven men in there. An area that Leinster will target the second

:30:14. > :30:52.half. Now we are going to see a bit more

:30:53. > :31:01.of the driving line-out from Leinster in this second period. Not

:31:02. > :31:08.getting too far though. Henshaw, to Sexton.

:31:09. > :31:15.The blind pass finds Henshaw. Williams has come in to block its

:31:16. > :31:21.passage and Scott Williams on the ball.

:31:22. > :31:48.Now than, there could be men out wide. A trifle Leinster and you feel

:31:49. > :31:55.the place is going to explode -- a try for Leinster. It's Gareth Davies

:31:56. > :32:04.with the turnover in the tackle, down to 13, the Scarlets. I think

:32:05. > :32:10.it's Johnny Nicholl who is down. -- Johnny McNicholl. Johnny McNicholl

:32:11. > :32:16.still lying on the floor now. Yes, just need to get it out of the park,

:32:17. > :32:23.down to 13 men. I think it was Gareth A Davies -- Gareth Davies

:32:24. > :32:30.again, great turnover. Can they hang on, the Scarlets? The work rate was

:32:31. > :32:38.fantastic, scrapping defence fund. The men on the inside working hard,

:32:39. > :32:47.Davies working hard to get across. On the corner. A big round of

:32:48. > :32:58.applause for the man from near Wellington, Hayden Triggs is Wood,

:32:59. > :33:08.his final appearance at the RDS. -- Hayden Triggs' final appearance at

:33:09. > :33:11.the RDS. Even more of a line-out presence for Leinster. The I'm

:33:12. > :33:19.surprised he wasn't started, if I'm honest, Devin Toner.

:33:20. > :33:30.A change at scrum-half. It's a big call, that is. He's had a big game

:33:31. > :33:33.tonight. Jonathan Evans, another live wire. Public enemy number one,

:33:34. > :33:57.Gareth Davies, at the RDS. Great work by Jack commented when

:33:58. > :34:01.that line-out. -- Jack Conan. Ten minutes without conceding for the

:34:02. > :34:07.Scarlets. They'll be ticking off the minutes as they go by. A game,

:34:08. > :34:12.simple knock-on from Cian Healy. Lewis Rawlins again, getting off the

:34:13. > :34:16.line so well. He's had a huge game tonight in defence. A great athlete.

:34:17. > :34:21.Lots of talk about Jake Ball missing but again, off the line, making

:34:22. > :34:27.racket brilliant work from the youngster. Let's go back over to.

:34:28. > :34:35.Yes, thanks very much. Steff Evans alongside me. Commiserations to you,

:34:36. > :34:38.Steff. A great first half anyway. Ball, have you seen anything

:34:39. > :34:41.different in the second half from the Scarlets yet, that makes you

:34:42. > :34:46.think they could do it? More and more fight. They started when they

:34:47. > :34:50.came back and beat Munster. There's a real spirit in the Scarlets side.

:34:51. > :34:54.The work rate to get down and eating in over the ball, the vital

:34:55. > :34:57.turnovers when they look like they are under the cosh, has been the

:34:58. > :35:00.story of the game so far and it's the reason they are in the position

:35:01. > :35:05.they are under comfortable finish. Can they get the ball and hold onto

:35:06. > :35:15.it, because they can't last another 25 minutes of pressure and keep the

:35:16. > :35:19.ball in hand. Cheers, Paul. The referee getting a bit close to the

:35:20. > :35:25.action. It always gets a cheer, when the referee goes down. Yes, it has

:35:26. > :35:31.been the rearguard action from the Scarlets, and it's a two score game.

:35:32. > :35:35.This Leinster get one you know they will get their tails up. Yes, keep

:35:36. > :35:40.working hard, get back on your feet and don't overcommit at the

:35:41. > :35:44.breakdown. They won't mind it's more stop start, the better in the second

:35:45. > :35:47.half because it gives you a chance to reorganise and have a chat

:35:48. > :35:55.amongst each other, get your breath back. Marius Mitrea, the extra

:35:56. > :35:59.defender for the Scarlets. He's straight behind the scrum, Carbery,

:36:00. > :36:06.this time. But won't have chance to do anything with it because the

:36:07. > :36:11.penalty has got the Scarlets' way. It's a big penalty for the Scarlets,

:36:12. > :36:19.that is. It gives them the opportunity to get into Leinster's

:36:20. > :36:36.half, get possession. James Davies on the left wing here,

:36:37. > :37:00.probably it will be a six-man line-out.

:37:01. > :37:33.Then reappears again. Good defensive work by Devin Toner.

:37:34. > :37:44.REFEREE: Time off, time off. Really difficult then. Bit disappointed

:37:45. > :37:57.with that, the Scarlets. Like an octopus surrounding him.

:37:58. > :38:08.Your bobbin so far the first 40 has been very stop- start, hasn't it.

:38:09. > :38:17.The call is coming from Sexton and Nacewa, to ring roads, to Carbery,

:38:18. > :38:24.to Byrne on the far side. They've got something planned. The forwards

:38:25. > :38:44.aren't going to give it up just yet though.

:38:45. > :38:52.They are getting on top in the scrum they have the extra man in there.

:38:53. > :38:57.Eight in the pack. Your scrum-half covers really the backline. If you

:38:58. > :39:01.go with seven, which the Scarlets are choosing to do, it do powers

:39:02. > :39:09.you. It's easy for Leinster to relieve the pressure. Rob Evans has

:39:10. > :39:16.gone off after that last scrum. Wyn Jones has missed just one league

:39:17. > :39:22.game this season. On in his place. Pressure on John Davis. From Garry

:39:23. > :39:29.Ringrose. It's a second attempt at it though. It finds Adam Byrne. It

:39:30. > :39:35.was a knock-on, wasn't it, from in the tackle, from ring roads. --

:39:36. > :39:41.Ringrose. Frustration is really building around the RDS. he

:39:42. > :39:46.definitely tackled Garry Ringrose off the ball, Davies, but it was a

:39:47. > :39:48.knock-on in a tackle. It should have been a scrum. He just pulled him

:39:49. > :40:07.back. REFEREE: Time off. Do that again,

:40:08. > :40:09.it's a free kick. Step, please. Marius Mitrea are not happy with the

:40:10. > :40:23.Leinster line-out. Shingler... Jonathan Evans has hit the charge

:40:24. > :40:33.down. There's James Davies. Driven out by

:40:34. > :40:53.Conan. Tadhg Beirne on his ankle. The crowd

:40:54. > :40:58.again very restless. You give them enough stick, the referee has done

:40:59. > :41:02.really well, refereed really well. It's an intimidating place to come.

:41:03. > :41:07.The crowd will get on your back. He's had a really good game so far.

:41:08. > :41:11.I was slightly surprised when I saw their officials. I was thinking

:41:12. > :41:12.exactly the same thing before the game. Incredible stewarding, they've

:41:13. > :41:44.done a great job tonight. 18 wins from 22 for Leinster in the

:41:45. > :41:59.regular season. 17 for the Scarlets, which is their best ever. Only won

:42:00. > :42:04.17 of the last 19. In style, as well. The way they play, it's how

:42:05. > :42:13.you want to see the game being played.

:42:14. > :42:22.Stuart Lancaster alongside Leo Cullen. A crucial period for both

:42:23. > :42:42.sets of coaches. A better scrum for the Scarlets,

:42:43. > :42:55.going with eight on their own ball. Carbery on the bounce. Back to Adam

:42:56. > :42:59.Byrne. James Davis. Conan has looked dangerous, impressive ball-carrier.

:43:00. > :43:08.Always going forward. Sexton, hen show, Ringrose. -- Henshaw. Light on

:43:09. > :43:16.his feet, Garry Ringrose. Healy, next in line. Another set of

:43:17. > :43:29.defensive tackles and James Davies comes flying in.

:43:30. > :43:54.The Scarlets are keeping them at bay. Yes, Lewis Rawlins flying off

:43:55. > :44:03.the line. Didn't make the tackle. Carbery, James Davies and... James

:44:04. > :44:11.Davies has got that, it's a brilliant steel. Superb work. The

:44:12. > :44:17.kick wasn't great from Evans and here comes the attack again. Nacewa

:44:18. > :44:27.goes for distance, goes for position. Patchell had time to

:44:28. > :44:33.bodies into the fast and if he wants to, but no, keeps it infield. -- he

:44:34. > :44:40.had time to put it into the far stand if he wants to.

:44:41. > :44:50.Toner, stopped in his tracks by Lewis Rawlins, who has put in so

:44:51. > :44:54.many tackles this evening. Both second rows, the workrate has been

:44:55. > :44:57.fantastic. If they could keep it going for another 20 minutes. A poor

:44:58. > :45:00.kick, it was Scarlets defensive pressure game. We can see more than

:45:01. > :45:03.you would see on the TV, the workrate in the front five of

:45:04. > :45:09.Scarlets, they get in position to come round here, here he is, on his

:45:10. > :45:15.feet, 50-50 whether he will release the man or not but great play from

:45:16. > :45:18.Davies. A poor kick from Jonathan Evans, gives the ball back to

:45:19. > :45:23.Leinster, but crucial turnover. Well, the 14 man Scarlets have kept

:45:24. > :45:32.a clean sheet in the third quarter. One more quarter and they are there.

:45:33. > :45:43.Tadhg Furlong another. Lyons bobbin weighting limps off. -- a Lyons prop

:45:44. > :45:47.in waiting limps off. It's been a phenomenal effort, it really has.

:45:48. > :45:51.Without the ball, working so hard for each other, the Scarlets.

:45:52. > :45:54.Leinster are renowned for their tackling game. At the moment

:45:55. > :46:04.Scarlets have all the answers in defence. Rhys Patchell is going off

:46:05. > :46:08.and Hadleigh Parkes is the one to replace him. he's not happy, Rhys

:46:09. > :46:17.Patchell cup. He's looking at the touchline. He's not injured. It's

:46:18. > :46:23.very interesting. He's asking questions, he's not happy at all,

:46:24. > :46:30.Rhys Patchell. It's a big call. We know Parkes is a wonderful player,

:46:31. > :46:33.his goal-kicking... Here come Leinster now with unexpected

:46:34. > :46:38.possession. Again, they missed their man. Your bobbin I tell you the

:46:39. > :46:43.Scarlets, the outside men. It's really catching up Leinster backline

:46:44. > :46:50.out. They are not sure what to do. It's brilliant play from the

:46:51. > :46:53.Scarlets, Liam Williams that time. For the second consecutive season,

:46:54. > :46:57.Hadleigh Parkes will have featured in every single league game for the

:46:58. > :47:04.Scarlets. Started everyone last year and now he's featured in all 23 this

:47:05. > :47:07.year as well. He's been the best overseas signing in Wales over the

:47:08. > :47:12.last two or three years, a phenomenal player. A big call to

:47:13. > :47:23.come on with 20 minutes to go, in the semifinal of the Pro12. is a lot

:47:24. > :47:29.on John Evans' shoulders here now. It's a much better kick. Liam

:47:30. > :47:42.Williams, the chance to pressurise Isa Nacewa. Tracy to Van der Flier.

:47:43. > :47:49.Sexton, the kick meant for Adam Byrne. James Davies plucks it out of

:47:50. > :47:54.the air. Superb. I knew he was going to do that, didn't you? Brilliant

:47:55. > :47:58.play from James Davies. We can see what Sexton's thinking was, but

:47:59. > :48:10.James Davies more than up for the challenge. Tadhg Beirne.

:48:11. > :48:22.Carbery, looking for space behind the Scarlets defence.

:48:23. > :48:33.This is the tackle on Leavy, and now Conan puts pressure on the Scarlets.

:48:34. > :48:37.Gibson-Park, to Sexton. Nacewa. In the Scarlets 22, to try to pick up

:48:38. > :48:43.the pace, but again, the Scarlets defences up to the job. A good

:48:44. > :48:49.tackle from Jonathan Evans. A poor kick from McNicoll, who was hired

:48:50. > :48:55.contestable all along. He's given the ball back to Leinster. No chance

:48:56. > :49:00.to contest and puts him under pressure. Again, the workrate from

:49:01. > :49:09.the Scarlets, John Evans is fresh and has just come on but it's great

:49:10. > :49:18.shepherding. Used the touchline. Great work from the Scarlets. The

:49:19. > :49:21.captain departs. Will Boyde, young Player of the Season, a promising

:49:22. > :49:27.Player of the Season, for the Scarlets, comes on. Lost ball though

:49:28. > :49:31.to Tracy. James Tracy write-up in the Scarlets try line. Gibson-Park

:49:32. > :49:41.to Leavy. Desperate defence now from the Scarlets. Conan, has he got

:49:42. > :49:52.there? Yes, he has. Jack Conan with what could be a killer blow.

:49:53. > :50:00.Yes, it all came from the overthrow line-out. A basic error. Gone to the

:50:01. > :50:06.back, which is a risk. A risky line-out calls. Just overthrows,

:50:07. > :50:09.Will Boyde. And the power, Leavy first and then Jack Conan, been

:50:10. > :50:14.really impressive like you say, Jack Conan, hasn't he should not carried

:50:15. > :50:18.really well. Two meters up, you are not going to stop him. He has toned

:50:19. > :50:26.behind him, runs over Scott Williams. -- he has Toner behind

:50:27. > :50:31.him. He's missed the kick. Nacewa slams the conversion against the

:50:32. > :50:34.post. How important could that be? Still, they are back within the

:50:35. > :50:41.converted try. He could have done with the conversion to help him.

:50:42. > :50:48.That overthrow is what has changed the complexion of this game. 24

:50:49. > :50:53.minutes, the Scarlets at 14 men went out conceding. That's the difference

:50:54. > :51:05.between just a try, and a converted try.

:51:06. > :51:21.Two more changes for the Scarlets. David Bulbring. They've done so much

:51:22. > :51:25.defending, the Scarlets. Do they have enough fuel in the tank.

:51:26. > :51:29.They've got fresh legs on, Will Boyde will bring some energy.

:51:30. > :51:47.McNicoll gets it away to John Davis. And from the side, Michael Bent.

:51:48. > :51:56.Yes, good refereeing, gone past the ruck. Following the clean out, it's

:51:57. > :52:03.a good decision. Good kick from Parkes as well. Got to nail these

:52:04. > :52:06.line-outs, now. We saw earlier on when they were in the 22, they

:52:07. > :52:11.allowed Devin Toner to spoil it and win the scrum back for Leinster,

:52:12. > :52:18.overthrew the last one. So crucial when you are down to 14 men that you

:52:19. > :52:26.get your fundamentals right. It's on a knife edge now though. Any time

:52:27. > :52:31.Leinster could strike. Scott Williams, skipper now for the

:52:32. > :52:39.Scarlets, leading now by example. Parkes. This is where stronghold

:52:40. > :52:43.time, put your back in with two scores but without Patchell on there

:52:44. > :52:44.and James Davies will have a pop tonight, he's done everything else

:52:45. > :52:55.hasn't he. Scott Williams, James Davis, goes

:52:56. > :53:06.for the outside line. Conan brings him down. Evans to Liam Williams.

:53:07. > :53:26.It's on the left. John Davis has to step inside his man. Liam Williams,

:53:27. > :53:29.knocked down on the grass by Garry Ringrose's tackle. Your bobbin the

:53:30. > :53:38.right idea, nice little flight from Evans. -- a nice little sleight from

:53:39. > :53:50.Evans. REFEREE: You do it again, you get

:53:51. > :53:53.penalised. Blue scrum. Cian Healy seems to be struggling a bit, but

:53:54. > :54:05.there are no more props left for Leinster.

:54:06. > :54:14.A good double up from Van der Flier and ring roads. -- and Garry

:54:15. > :54:19.Ringrose. The longer the Scarlets have ball in hand, the happier they

:54:20. > :54:23.will be. Absolutely. No matter what they do, they don't have to do

:54:24. > :54:30.anything, just keep it. If they've got it, Leinster can't score. Now a

:54:31. > :54:35.good scrum as you'd expect against the seven man pack. Your bobbin yes,

:54:36. > :54:44.lost it initially, the initial show from Leinster. Good, but it came

:54:45. > :54:58.back and just they are trying to say they both came up so we set scrum.

:54:59. > :54:59.-- reset scrum. Johnny McNicholl just giving James Davis a little bit

:55:00. > :55:19.of positional advice. Oh, penalty. Now then. Keiran

:55:20. > :55:24.Williams kicking when he needs to. We saw Hadleigh Parkes kicking, I

:55:25. > :55:28.hope we doesn't take a kick. Strolling over, pointing at the

:55:29. > :55:30.posts, crucial kick, this is. If you go nine points up with ten minutes

:55:31. > :55:47.to go,... Twice Cian Healy is penalised. Rhys

:55:48. > :55:54.Patchell is thinking, what on earth am I doing here? Is also thinking,

:55:55. > :56:03.INAUDIBLE . Your bobbin was it Judgement Day,

:56:04. > :56:11.Judgement Day? Yes, conversion of penalty against the Dragons. What a

:56:12. > :56:16.big moment in the Scarlets' season. Liam Williams could be an unlikely

:56:17. > :56:37.hero. With a kick at goal. Strikes it well. Girls at ground

:56:38. > :56:43.perfectly. What a kick from Liam Williams and that makes it a true

:56:44. > :56:47.score game. -- he curls it round perfectly. The game goes into its

:56:48. > :56:52.final ten minutes. They are just ten minutes away from the final.

:56:53. > :56:57.Brilliant, brilliant from Liam Williams. Phil, over to you. The

:56:58. > :57:02.Scarlets have ten minutes to go, two scores ahead. Can they do it from

:57:03. > :57:06.here? Call it. They certainly can. I thought the last scrum might have

:57:07. > :57:09.gone the other way for a penalty but it's a vital day. They converted

:57:10. > :57:20.after three points and need to get the ball, get their hands on it and

:57:21. > :57:22.hold it for a few minutes, just wound down the clock and put

:57:23. > :57:25.Leinster under more pressure. They have the ability, for sure. He's

:57:26. > :57:30.calling it. A big call, with ten minutes to go. It's on a knife edge

:57:31. > :57:36.share. That has given them a little comfort zone. Missed conversion as

:57:37. > :57:42.well, so crucial from Nacewa. It would be a 7-point game otherwise.

:57:43. > :57:45.Have to score twice now, Leinster. Loose as claimed by James Davies,

:57:46. > :57:50.but the tackle was early. Your bobbin yes, he's just mistimed it,

:57:51. > :57:54.Jonathan Davies. He's done so well, all right. Taken a man without the

:57:55. > :58:24.ball that time. What a test this is of Leinster.

:58:25. > :58:31.Phillips, wearing 16, the latest Scarlets replacement. Richardt

:58:32. > :58:37.Strauss will as first line, with Molony. A wealth of experience in

:58:38. > :58:42.this Leinster squad. Tadhg Beirne again, disrupting the driving maul

:58:43. > :58:48.from Leinster. Just keep your discipline, Scarlets. Sexton,

:58:49. > :58:56.Henshaw inside to Byrne. James Davis has followed him all the way across.

:58:57. > :59:01.Scott Williams with the tackle. Can Leavy, as Leinster try and build up

:59:02. > :59:06.a head of steam. Gibson-Park. Henshaw.

:59:07. > :59:15.The scrum-half just falling over. Van der Flier breaks the first

:59:16. > :59:22.tackle, makes the extra yard, pushes the Scarlets back nearer to that try

:59:23. > :59:31.line. Strauss, Gibson-Park asked to dig it out. Sexton, Nacewa. All

:59:32. > :59:37.hands to the pump for the Scarlets. Cian Healy offers himself.

:59:38. > :59:45.And they managed to slow it down, the Scarlets. How much more have

:59:46. > :59:50.they got left in the tank? Tadhg Beirne, brilliant by the former

:59:51. > :59:53.Leinster player, over the ball and celebrates winning his team the

:59:54. > :59:58.crucial penalty. He's happy with that one and so he should be. Reims

:59:59. > :00:01.work, under the pump the Scarlets there, Leinster throwing everything

:00:02. > :00:06.at them. I thought Will Boyde was over the ball earlier, could have

:00:07. > :00:11.won the penalty at that time. But in a huge amount of work tonight, Tadhg

:00:12. > :00:16.Beirne. -- he has put in a huge amount of work tonight, Tadhg

:00:17. > :00:21.Beirne. Just epitomises what they've been about all night, the Scarlets.

:00:22. > :00:26.Tadhg Beirne, great tackle, crucial tackle from Will Boyde. Get him down

:00:27. > :00:28.early, that allows Tadhg Beirne to get over the ball and win the

:00:29. > :00:34.penalty. A superb effort. Zane Kirchner on. The boys in the

:00:35. > :00:48.studio... Great hands from Dan Leavy. He's

:00:49. > :01:21.impressed us coming on. It's not a nice place to be when

:01:22. > :01:30.your head's in the bottom of that sdrum. He's won time for them.

:01:31. > :01:36.Absolute it will. -- absolutely. Work in the contact area has been

:01:37. > :01:39.superb. You associate that, everybody been doing it. Gareth

:01:40. > :01:51.Davies earlier on, the scrum-half when he was on.

:01:52. > :01:58.The Scarlets have only been in this territory once before. Lost to

:01:59. > :02:03.Ulster in a play-off. Can they hang on in there? Yes, they can, if they

:02:04. > :02:11.play like that. Miles forward Johnny Sexton.

:02:12. > :02:18.Reading the back line moves of the Scarlet has been superb. He's read

:02:19. > :02:22.that a mile off. Flown in, spotted Sexton.

:02:23. > :02:31.Just drives him into the ground just to let him now. Been superb.

:02:32. > :02:45.Five minutes and counting and Leinster have to score twice.

:02:46. > :02:52.The Scarlets fans have come over here. They don't care how far away

:02:53. > :02:58.they are from the action. They don't care if they don't see any action

:02:59. > :03:01.their end, so long as there's known down the fair end.

:03:02. > :03:06.A little dink over the top. And out of play and earning more

:03:07. > :03:14.time, Leinster. Can feel the game slipping away

:03:15. > :03:18.interest them. Clever kick from Hadleigh Parkes. Even if Leinster

:03:19. > :03:23.got possession of that, they would have been driven easily into touch.

:03:24. > :03:29.Smart, smart play from Parkes. And the clock is ticking.

:03:30. > :03:38.Two penalties, make them work for everything.

:03:39. > :03:46.Kirchner... Oh, wide pass from Zane Kirchner. And that really sums up

:03:47. > :03:55.Leinster's attack tonight. Absolutely. You associate them with

:03:56. > :04:01.the basic kills of back moves. So efficient, usually. That is just

:04:02. > :04:08.frustration. It is just forcing things. And the crowds are starting

:04:09. > :04:13.to leave in droves, which you rarely see in the RDS before the end of a

:04:14. > :04:18.game. This is a massive shock. In the last ten minutes Leinster have

:04:19. > :04:24.almost a 90% possession. But the points have gone to Liam Williams.

:04:25. > :04:28.They are, the fans are leaving. I think after putting 45 points on

:04:29. > :04:35.the Scarlets a couple of months ago, they cannot believe this turn

:04:36. > :04:40.around. Without the ball tonight, they have been absolutely

:04:41. > :04:46.outstanding. Huge work from every one of them. It has been superb

:04:47. > :04:50.defensively. Daviess slips in to Mcnicholl. Doesn't matter he's been

:04:51. > :04:55.taken into touch. That will do for the Scarlets. They are down there

:04:56. > :05:01.again. Form the line-out and wasting more time.

:05:02. > :05:15.Keep them pinned in here. Keep them down there.

:05:16. > :05:27.And the penalty comes the Scarlets' way. That is brilliant, brilliant

:05:28. > :05:32.work. The tackle was high. But that is great work by the stand-in

:05:33. > :05:39.skipper, Scott Williams and this could be it for the Scarlets. It

:05:40. > :05:44.should be it for the Scarlets. Scott Williams, so strong on the body.

:05:45. > :05:50.Clamps on the ball and that swinging arm. Nothing more than they deserve,

:05:51. > :05:57.the Scarlets. It's been absolutely outstanding their second half. Been

:05:58. > :06:05.very smart as well the way they played the game, with 14 men.

:06:06. > :06:12.Liam Williams is kicking down to the bank of Scarlets supporters, who

:06:13. > :06:18.have travelled here and are ready to celebrate.

:06:19. > :06:31.I will yam Williams puts over his second penalty and that should be

:06:32. > :06:36.it. The Scarlets are on their way to their first ever Grand Final. They

:06:37. > :06:38.have been superb. The last few weeks, in particular - they have

:06:39. > :06:45.been building and building. They look like a group who have been

:06:46. > :06:52.willing to work so hard. Even down to 14 men, probably the fortress of

:06:53. > :06:55.any of the Pro12 teams, the RDS. Never lost a semifinal in the Pro12

:06:56. > :06:59.before. It's got to be one of the biggest

:07:00. > :07:08.wins for a Welsh region ever. It really has. Van der Merwe comes on

:07:09. > :07:16.inside of Davies. Everyone is going the Scarlets' way.

:07:17. > :07:22.Just frustrated the live out of them tonight. Been niggly. Got under

:07:23. > :07:28.their skin. Sexton has been a nonentity for most of the match. We

:07:29. > :07:32.have praised the Scarlets attack and the tries they have created. This

:07:33. > :07:36.win has been based on defence and guts and commitment and really

:07:37. > :07:45.giving everything to the cause. These are the wins you remember.

:07:46. > :07:49.They will never forget this nice, the Scarlets boys. Down to 14 men,

:07:50. > :07:53.away from home. These are the wins you remember for all your life. The

:07:54. > :07:59.Scarlets have only ever won once at the RDS. It was ten years ago. But

:08:00. > :08:05.they have made history. The Scarlets have become the first ever team to

:08:06. > :08:10.win an away play-off. They are on their way to their first Grand Final

:08:11. > :08:17.and fully, fully deserve it. That is one of the performances of

:08:18. > :08:25.all time, in the Pro12, from the Scarlets. Down to 14 men for the

:08:26. > :08:29.whole of the second half. Under pressure, but commitment was

:08:30. > :08:35.complete. And after scoring some fabulous tries in the first half

:08:36. > :08:39.they worked their socks offer in the second and gave everything and

:08:40. > :08:46.fully, fully deserve their day in the sun and their day in the final

:08:47. > :08:49.in the Aviva stadium. What a performance from the Scarlets.

:08:50. > :08:56.Absolutely brilliant. All the credit in the world. Nobody gave them a hug

:08:57. > :09:00.coming over here. This weekend. Like I mention before the final whistle,

:09:01. > :09:05.nights like this you never forget. Down to 14 men. You could just see

:09:06. > :09:08.off the ball. The work rate from all the players, to cover each other, to

:09:09. > :09:16.get back on your feet, make another tackle. An outstanding effort from

:09:17. > :09:22.everybody involved with the Scarlets. 26 games and over two

:09:23. > :09:28.years since Leinster last lost at the RDS. But their record has fallen

:09:29. > :09:34.and what a time to do so. The Scarlets are on the way to the

:09:35. > :09:36.final. They have beaten Leinster by 27-15.

:09:37. > :09:51.Phil, over to you. Now firmly a Scarlet - how do you

:09:52. > :09:56.enjoy it? Phenomenal. The full squad, down to 14 men, we said at

:09:57. > :10:01.half time every single player has to dig deep. Including ourselves.

:10:02. > :10:05.Everyone had to dig deep. It was incredible to be part of it. What a

:10:06. > :10:09.defence, what a performance. We are used to seeing the Scarlets playing

:10:10. > :10:13.the pretty stuff, but that tonight was something else. Yes, like, in

:10:14. > :10:19.the last few weeks we just clicked. And as a group, we are just playing

:10:20. > :10:24.so well. Our confidence is high. And it cannot go better. I think we

:10:25. > :10:29.proved that today. The first half, got that red card, we were

:10:30. > :10:32.dominating. They didn't look. We had them in the sands and then an

:10:33. > :10:38.attack, we were on fire. I can be proud of everyone out there. You are

:10:39. > :10:43.in the Guinness Pro12 final now. Who would you prefer? It doesn't bother

:10:44. > :10:46.me. Obviously the Welsh prefer Ospreys. But to me it doesn't

:10:47. > :10:52.matter. I want to get out and get a medal. I want to get that trophy and

:10:53. > :10:55.please, God, we can do it next week. This has been a revelation for you.

:10:56. > :11:00.Tell us how you feel about it? Look, if you told me this time last year

:11:01. > :11:03.that I'd be stood here I probably would have laughed in your face,

:11:04. > :11:09.wouldn't have a chance. Didn't have a club. Only signed for Scarlets at

:11:10. > :11:13.the end of May to. Be stood here, after winning the semifinal and

:11:14. > :11:23.starting, I couldn't have asked for more. Congratulations to you and all

:11:24. > :11:33.the Scarlets. Appreciate it. Adam Byrne dl

:11:34. > :11:41.-- The second half was all about defence. The scrum was solid. They

:11:42. > :11:44.defended very, very well. I thought Jonathan Davies really caused

:11:45. > :11:48.problems you know, for, especially Johnny Sexton. Didn't know where to

:11:49. > :11:52.throw it. They were absolutely brilliant. Second rows were immense.

:11:53. > :11:58.The back row. I don't know who the Man of the Match was, but you could

:11:59. > :12:03.have given it to anyone. I thought a brilliant, brilliant defensive

:12:04. > :12:09.performance, the second half. We have talked all season about how

:12:10. > :12:13.dangerous that Scarlet attack is. That second half it required the

:12:14. > :12:18.biggest rear guard action we have seen in the Pro12. They didn't

:12:19. > :12:22.budge. And the penalties put the game yopd reach. They flustered

:12:23. > :12:25.Leinster into so many errors. You don't get a performance like that

:12:26. > :12:30.unless there is a good culture there and they play for each other. You

:12:31. > :12:36.have boys stepping up in the second rows. They put their bodies on the

:12:37. > :12:39.line. Phenomenal. These second lines were absolutely outstanding. I

:12:40. > :12:44.thought they would blow up. They never did. 14 men, don't forget.

:12:45. > :12:49.James Davies on the wing. I thought the coaching team were brave as

:12:50. > :12:56.well, by replacing the half packs. This turn up was immense. Another

:12:57. > :13:02.one from James Davies. All round, sometimes rugby comes down to brass

:13:03. > :13:06.tack. You have to look at Leinster because the defensive structure was

:13:07. > :13:10.so good, I have haven't seen Leinster throw so many lose passes

:13:11. > :13:16.for a long, long time. They felt the pressure. The defence was organise

:13:17. > :13:21.nazed. It was clever. I thought the two second rows, first man up on to

:13:22. > :13:24.Johnny Sexton. It was just, and apart from the overthrow, Leinster

:13:25. > :13:28.didn't look like scoring in the second half. That, for me, that was

:13:29. > :13:33.the greatest achievement for them. Once they wept, they missed a

:13:34. > :13:37.conversion, I thought, oh... I think we can hear from John Barclay, the

:13:38. > :13:38.winning captain. I imagine he's the most delighted man in Dublin

:13:39. > :13:45.tonight. He's smiling. We spoke at half time.

:13:46. > :13:52.What was said in the changing room for that display to come out in the

:13:53. > :13:57.second half? A game like that with a crazy last few minutes, it was more

:13:58. > :14:00.the technical stuff, how we would deal with the set-piece? It was more

:14:01. > :14:08.that, trying to get information at the time.

:14:09. > :14:17.Carry on. It was pretty calm, to be honest. We spoke all about relish

:14:18. > :14:21.and the challenge. Instead of being deflated at half time, we were

:14:22. > :14:24.buzzing. You scored the three quality tries. That play was there

:14:25. > :14:31.from the Scarlets. Not all about defence tonight. Exactly. We had to

:14:32. > :14:35.go more direct. Leinster were always going to have a lot of the ball.

:14:36. > :14:39.That was the way it would go. We played smart rugby. We managed to

:14:40. > :14:44.harass them. How nice was it that you did that

:14:45. > :14:47.for Steff? He was brilliant in the first half. It was unfortunate and

:14:48. > :14:55.you are in the final for him as well? Look, he's gutted. He's

:14:56. > :14:59.probably the least... The least dirty player on our team. He's been

:15:00. > :15:04.the Player of the Year. He's gutted. We dug in. You saw how he played in

:15:05. > :15:08.the first half. He was a huge part of what we did tonight. Who would

:15:09. > :15:12.you like in the final? Anyone would be nice. We look ahead to the game

:15:13. > :15:21.and analyse it and it will be great. Thank you again. Cheers, guys. John

:15:22. > :15:25.Barclay, delighted. On that point, an Aviva stadium, what if we have an

:15:26. > :15:32.all-Welsh final? It would be great. Why not! They may have to move it

:15:33. > :15:37.from the Aviva to the RDS. You mention Steff Evans. I hope there's

:15:38. > :15:43.some common sense. There was no malice. It could be a four-week, a

:15:44. > :15:46.four-match ban. He would miss the final and two Welsh games. I think a

:15:47. > :15:52.little bit of common sense is needed. He hasn't been send off

:15:53. > :15:56.before. He apologised. There was no malice. No reaction from the

:15:57. > :16:01.Leinster players. I think that should be a sending off sufficient

:16:02. > :16:08.and he should be allowed to play in the final. They can pay tribute to

:16:09. > :16:15.him and say that game is one for Ste if, f. He contributed so much. We --

:16:16. > :16:19.Steff. He contributed so much. No more relieved man in Dublin than

:16:20. > :16:25.him. As you say, we praise the defensive effort. He created a lot

:16:26. > :16:31.of what the Scarlets points were in the firstful r t half. He's been --

:16:32. > :16:34.in the first half. He's been a big part of how they got there this

:16:35. > :16:41.season. Look at the depth they are holding. Fair play to Stephen Jones.

:16:42. > :16:46.Here he is, on the end, as he's been all season. He's infectious, isn't

:16:47. > :16:51.he? The pace that he has. And this is the other side. Unlucky. Geoff

:16:52. > :17:01.talked about Lee lees's contribution. He -- Samson Lee's

:17:02. > :17:07.contribution. He swung around. Like I said, the season he's had, look at

:17:08. > :17:12.it and say sending off sufficient. I don't think he deserves to miss the

:17:13. > :17:15.final and to miss two Welsh games. We heard from the winning captain.

:17:16. > :17:21.Now let's hear from the winning coach. Wayne Pivac is with Phil.

:17:22. > :17:27.Congratulations. You are in the final. Where does that stand? It has

:17:28. > :17:32.to be our greatest performance. Before half time when we lost Steff

:17:33. > :17:35.to the high tackle, we had to dig deep. We talked about it half time.

:17:36. > :17:40.This is what we have built for all season. The unity on the side would

:17:41. > :17:44.be really tested. Wow, what a second half! We were riding every play,

:17:45. > :17:47.every minute. We didn't get everything perfectly right. We got

:17:48. > :17:53.the end result, which is what we were after. A fantastic result. What

:17:54. > :17:57.was your thought on the red card? Under the rules, we were hoping for

:17:58. > :18:02.a yellow. But to be honest, it is not the intend, it is where he lands

:18:03. > :18:07.and he judge landed on his head first, so it is a red. It was not

:18:08. > :18:11.all about backs to the wall. You scored three from three. We had a

:18:12. > :18:13.lot of possession in the first half. We said before the game we would

:18:14. > :18:18.have to take our scoring opportunities and we did that. So

:18:19. > :18:23.you are in the final now. Have you got a preference? Wouldn't an

:18:24. > :18:27.Ospreys Scarlets final be nice? It would be. We are happy we've done

:18:28. > :18:33.our part now. We wish the Ospreys well. Well done on everything. Thank

:18:34. > :18:36.you. He's a happy man. We were questioning in the studio some of

:18:37. > :18:41.those substitutions he made. Taking Rhys Patchell off, when we know

:18:42. > :18:45.there wasn't a recognised kicker in that team, Lee Williams stepped up

:18:46. > :18:53.to the play, but the substitutions, they all paid off. I thought that it

:18:54. > :18:59.was a brave call, taking half-backs off so early. If they needed a drop

:19:00. > :19:04.goal or a long-range penalty. They lost shape when they had the ball as

:19:05. > :19:09.well. If they win knowing the members, the subss tugss. I thought

:19:10. > :19:14.they -- substitutions. They thought they were brave early. They have a

:19:15. > :19:19.ig be role to play. In the final week they have to come off the gas.

:19:20. > :19:24.Get on it tonight. A long season of coaching and working and that. They

:19:25. > :19:29.seem to tick over and get 100% fuel next week for another big

:19:30. > :19:34.performance. We talked in the week about how unlucky James Davies was

:19:35. > :19:38.not to get in that Welsh squad. He had a phenomenal game - turnovers,

:19:39. > :19:43.tackles and plucking balls out the sky. We are pleased in Wales with a

:19:44. > :19:48.lot of good sevens. This fellow has a lot of different X factors. He's

:19:49. > :19:51.very good over the ball. He sees things, he's quick to react to

:19:52. > :19:54.things. He can play in the wide channels. Look at this, instinct to

:19:55. > :19:59.get up and get over the ball. Technique, fantastic. He's played

:20:00. > :20:04.sevens. So around that contact area. Here he's playing on the left wing.

:20:05. > :20:08.A great catch above his eyes. That is what the sevens game will help

:20:09. > :20:14.him with as well. He's comfortable with ball in hand. He's comfortable

:20:15. > :20:19.in space, with his skills. He is unlucky. Maybe they know what he's

:20:20. > :20:24.capable of and want to try the players on that level, maybe. He's

:20:25. > :20:30.very unlucky. You look at Shingler as well. He's been outstanding.

:20:31. > :20:34.He's... It was just brilliant all-round performance. I felt that

:20:35. > :20:42.everyone, you know, every Scarlet player stood up. I think maybe this

:20:43. > :20:47.game when he had to stand up was Lee Williams. Collectively, defensively,

:20:48. > :20:51.I thought the best performance for Scarlets for a long, long time.

:20:52. > :20:56.Going back, confidence-wise, that is what they can do. They still try and

:20:57. > :21:00.play. I thought a tremendous performance. James Davies was the

:21:01. > :21:02.official Man of the Match tonight. We have praised him and we can hear

:21:03. > :21:10.from him now. Another Pro12 Man of the Match. How

:21:11. > :21:14.did you enjoy that? I loved it. Half time we were bouncing, you

:21:15. > :21:18.know. We were coming out with 14 men. And we were really up for the

:21:19. > :21:22.challenge. I thought that showed second half. There was a belief at

:21:23. > :21:27.half time? Of course. Belief before the game and half time we were up by

:21:28. > :21:31.11 points, I think it was. We were rearing for the challenge. Like I

:21:32. > :21:38.said, it showed. If you had more ball, it could have been almost out

:21:39. > :21:44.of sight at half time? Of course. We put some good chances away.

:21:45. > :21:49.Credit to Leinster, they kept well all night. I think our defence won

:21:50. > :21:56.us that game. And what you said about half time - how much was done

:21:57. > :22:01.for Steff? It was unfortunate what happened with him Of course he's a

:22:02. > :22:08.team-mate. I was upset for him to go off. He was unfortunate to get the

:22:09. > :22:13.red card. It is a team effort and Steff is involved in that. Final now

:22:14. > :22:17.- who is on your mind? Whoever! I think the way we're playing at the

:22:18. > :22:21.minute, we 'll take whoever in Europe. Looking forward to either

:22:22. > :22:26.Ospreys or Munster. We will assess on Monday and look forward to next

:22:27. > :22:33.week. Have a good night. I am sure you will. I am sure I will, too. He

:22:34. > :22:38.loves a social does James Davies. But phenomenal performance from him.

:22:39. > :22:41.They can go now to the Aviva, whoever they play with extreme

:22:42. > :22:44.confidence. It suits them. That confidence they are on a roll. It

:22:45. > :22:48.has been coming and coming and coming. They've got, there's nothing

:22:49. > :22:52.to lose. They have got a final. They can enjoy the week and the build-up

:22:53. > :22:57.and all that comes with that. It is a good game. They want the big

:22:58. > :23:01.games. Credit because they play some of the rugby that deserves to be in

:23:02. > :23:08.a final. They will grace Dublin next week. The flights will go up in the

:23:09. > :23:15.next two hours. And accommodation! For me, they kind of looked

:23:16. > :23:18.comfortable, offensively and defensively. They looked

:23:19. > :23:23.comfortable. I haven't seen Samson Lee handle a ball so many times.

:23:24. > :23:28.He's comfortable. I think they are all kind of switched ond and all

:23:29. > :23:34.identify what -- switched on and all identify, trying to get the ball

:23:35. > :23:41.through their hands. Now both are pitch side. A broad grin and not so.

:23:42. > :23:47.I start with you. The ultimate great escape. How much credit did the

:23:48. > :23:55.Scarlets'' defence need for that performance? Look, you cannot give

:23:56. > :24:01.them enough. It was up there with one of the best performances ever.

:24:02. > :24:04.The contact area was superb. Davies, Williams, Davies, all getting their

:24:05. > :24:08.head over the ball, winning turnovers at crucial times. Showed

:24:09. > :24:12.real character. Down to 14 men. To come to this place, it is so typical

:24:13. > :24:17.to win over here, the record is so formidable. To pull off a win like

:24:18. > :24:22.that, a semifinal, unbelievable result. They deserve all the credit

:24:23. > :24:27.in the world. Paul, as Martin said, Leinster do not often lose at the

:24:28. > :24:33.RDS - 26 games unbeaten prior to this. What happened? I think maybe a

:24:34. > :24:37.little bit over-confident. What really happened was that Scarlets

:24:38. > :24:41.came and they outof fought them especially at the break were

:24:42. > :24:44.technically better. Their finishing was brilliant. Every time they got

:24:45. > :24:49.an opportunity, in, bang, they scored. It was the team work as

:24:50. > :24:53.well. For me, it wasn't a red card. No intent whatsoever. I thought a

:24:54. > :24:58.yellow would be harsh. I know there is a letter of the law. You have to

:24:59. > :25:02.have intent. I thought Steff Evans was unfairly treated. Get a few

:25:03. > :25:06.decisions, Scarlets later on. I thought Leinster's accuracy.

:25:07. > :25:10.Unforced errors. A lot was down to how well the Scarlets worked and

:25:11. > :25:15.slowed down the ball at the break down. That's been huge for them all

:25:16. > :25:22.season. That break down. Working for each other. They deserve it. Most of

:25:23. > :25:28.West Wales going on the Lions tour will go to Wales early. What about

:25:29. > :25:33.tomorrow? One last chance for the Irish to restore pride - can Munster

:25:34. > :25:38.do it? I think so. But, as we have seen here, there's

:25:39. > :25:43.not a lot between the top four, as far as I can see it. Ospreys have

:25:44. > :25:46.played some great rugby as well, OK, against Scarlets last time out,

:25:47. > :25:52.weren't there in a game that didn't mean so much. Going over there they

:25:53. > :25:58.have got the confidence. They have got Alan Wyn Jones back. Webb,

:25:59. > :26:01.Biggar as well. He would have seen Johnny Sexton not have his finest

:26:02. > :26:05.day and looking to say, there is an opportunity there for test positions

:26:06. > :26:09.and I think there will be throughout that side. What I do hope, as an

:26:10. > :26:14.Irishman, is that the Lions might stand up and play a bit more. I did

:26:15. > :26:19.feel sometimes they were maybe one eye on the plane as well. Some of

:26:20. > :26:23.the Leinster players, which probably didn't help out too much. Before we

:26:24. > :26:26.let you go and have a little tipple yourselves, you will be back there

:26:27. > :26:32.in a week's time. How much would you like to comment tat on a

:26:33. > :26:37.Scarlets-Ospreys final in Dublin? That would be the ultimate. It will

:26:38. > :26:41.be tough for the Ospreys, like he said. Who knows! They have not

:26:42. > :26:47.performed very well the last couple of weeks the Ospreys. It would be

:26:48. > :26:55.incredible to be an all-Welsh final. I will do a reki for us. We will

:26:56. > :27:01.have a good weekend, whatever. We will all join you out there. Time to

:27:02. > :27:04.look ahead to tomorrow. And just pontificate on what may end up being

:27:05. > :27:11.a double Welsh final - what do you think? That would have given the

:27:12. > :27:15.Ospreys a great lift, to get that result going in to tomorrow.

:27:16. > :27:21.Back tomorrow for the Ospreys. It will be a tight call. Another

:27:22. > :27:24.incentive would be to make the final so they face the Scarlets again

:27:25. > :27:31.after that 40-point beating. Why not? What a final it would be. A

:27:32. > :27:36.great fillip for Welsh rugby. Onus is on the Ospreys to do it now. What

:27:37. > :27:41.a night we've had here. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. We

:27:42. > :27:45.need to go and decompress it. It's been so tense and ex-siting. One of

:27:46. > :27:48.the greatest rear guard actions certainly in Pro12 history. Many,

:27:49. > :27:53.many congratulations to the Scarlets. It was an absolutely

:27:54. > :27:56.phenomenal performance for them. Congratulations to Wayne Pivac and

:27:57. > :28:01.his team. I am sure they will celebrate tonight. They have a big

:28:02. > :28:07.game coming up next week. Who will it be against - Munster or Ospreys.

:28:08. > :28:11.The guys have suggested it could be an all-Welsh final. Who would have

:28:12. > :28:13.predicted that at the start of the season? Thank you for watching. Good

:28:14. > :28:39.night. # WATCHING, WAITING

:28:40. > :28:43.# HOPING, # ASKING

:28:44. > :28:51.# BEGGING # PLEADING.

:28:52. > :29:08.Scarlet rays # Scarlet rays