So the English mighty Guinness big boys came down to stradey...and lost!!
Ok, so we played against the newly promoted Quins, who themselves are struggling with the pace and intensity of the Guinness premier league, with 4 played - 4 lost, and to give the Quins their credit, they are playing in a far tougher league (at the moment), but the Scarlets made the most of their home advantage to get the maximum points on offer with 4 trys in the game.
The tougher test will come when we have to go up to the North East and play Newcastle away.
The Scarlets have won 2 out of their 3 away games so far this year, wins coming against the Dragons and Connacht (the one defeat so far this year was against Ulster). However the game this Friday on English soil will probably be quite a different test.
The Scarlets yesterday tried hard to play the type of rugby which killed off Leinster in the first half last week, but too many handling errors and 'back door' attempts to move the ball, caused the Scarlets to stutter through the game. The Scarlets have a crucial away game this Friday up in Newcastle before the deciding away game to the Sale Sharks on the first weekend in December. I have no doubt that the Sacrlets have enough pace and ability to win up in Kingston Park Stadium this Friday, but the Scarlets as Gwyn Jones puts it, must make the correct decisions when deciding to off-load or go to ground. I think it is fair to expect a tight game form Newcastle on Friday, as their heavy pack will look to slow it down and prevent our backs from getting any ball.
Craig Dunlea, who deservedly had the man-of-the match award yesterday, has improved significantly since his first match (remember his early substitution against the Dragons), and will be leading the charge with the Scralets pack this Friday. If Easterby, Popham, Afeaki and chums can secure enough ball then Peel (being fit), Stephen and the King should be able to secure the first away win of the season on English Soil - and what good timing that would be, as the Scarlets kick of their first Heineken game of the year away to London Irish in Reading.