CULLEN KNOWS SCARLETS WILL BE TOUGH TO BEAT

LEINSTER v SCARLETS, 3PM URC Q-FINAL, AVIVA STADIUM

- BY DEREK FOLEY

LEINSTER head into their URC quarterfinal with Scarlets at the Aviva this afternoon as hot favourites.

The bookies are offering Scarlets at even money plus 24 points despite the Welsh team beating the Blues 35-22 in Llanelli in late April.

The match was marked by Scarlets hiding their kicking intent well, using four different players - full-back Blair Murray, centre Johnny Williams and half-backs Sam Costelow and Gareth Davies (injured today) - at various times to take on the task.

Lesser-noted was the pressure put on the Blues’ front-row with Ronan Kelleher labelling Scarlets ‘tricky’ and Leo Cullen adding there was some ‘messing around’ which starting trio Healy-Kelleher-Clarkson didn’t quite get to grips with.