Irish have a score to settle

Sportsdesk • Published 13 Jan 2010 18:00 0 Comments

Heineken Cup Preview - Scarlets vs Irish, 12.45pm Sunday @ Parc y Scarlets

LONDON Irish will have to do something they have never done before on Sunday if they want to keep their Heineken Cup hopes burning bright - beat the Scarlets.

The Exiles have met the Welsh province on three occasions in the Heineken Cup over the last four years and each time the Reading-based outfit have finished on the losing side.

In 2006/07 Irish lost home and away to the Llanelli outfit, who stormed through to the quarter-finals. And, having already lost to the Scarlets at the Madejski Stadium this term, Toby Booth's side will be going all out to avoid a double defeat this time.

And the stakes could not be much higher at Parc y Scarlets as Irish must win to stay toe to toe with reigning Heineken Cup champions Leinster.

With the Irish province expected to ease past French side Brive on Saturday, a win for the Exiles will set up a mouthwatering winner-takes-all clash at Twickenham on January 23 to decide who tops Pool Six.

This weekend Booth's side will have flanker Steffon Armitage available again after he was rested last week under England Elite squad guidelines.

Few changes are expected from the side that lost narrowly to Saints last time out, although Elvis Seveali'i should come back into the midfield, while Topsy Ojo is in contention on the wing.

The Scarlets are almost certain to be without one of their talismen Matthew Rees, as the hooker is struggling with a groin injury.

And they are sweating on the fitness of star fly half Stephen Jones, who landed two late penalties to sink the Exiles last October.

As The Chronicle went to press on Wednesday Jones, who is second only to Ronan O'Gara in the all-time Heineken Cup points list, was rated 50-50 to make Sunday's clash.

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