Scarlets can maul the Tigers and taste Euro glory - Shane

Apr 16 2007 Staff Reporter, Western Mail

SHANE WILLIAMS last night told the Scarlets they can tame Leicester in the Heineken Cup, declaring, "The Tigers are only human."

Williams suffered cup final heartbreak as the Ospreys lost their Twickenham showdown 41-35 to the English giants in the EDF Energy Cup final.

But the Wales wing reckons the Ospreys have handed local rivals Scarlets the secret to success against Leicester in their European clash this Saturday after rocking the double European champions at English rugby's HQ.

Williams inspired a sensational comeback in yesterday's Anglo-Welsh final with two of the Ospreys four tries against the treble-chasing Tigers.

And the wing wonder has urged fellow Welsh region the Scarlets to carry on where they left off when they face Leicester in the semi-final of Heineken Cup.

"We showed in the second half that you can score tries against Leicester, so the Scarlets can beat them if they get stuck in and just play rugby," said Williams.

"Leicester are a good side, but they are only human beings, so we must not build them up and give them too much credit.

"If you play rugby and stretch them about, then you can score tries, it's just frustrating that we left it too late." Leicester ended the Ospreys' hopes of a second major title in three years with a devastating first-half display at Twickenham and now stand in the way of the Scarlets' dream of reaching a first Heineken Cup final - also at Twickenham - when they meet at the Walkers Stadium in five days' time.

But Williams believes the men from Stradey Park have the ammunition to blow away the Guinness Premiership leaders - if they match their passion with ambition.

"Hopefully the Scarlets will have seen what we did in the second half and take heart from that.

"They can certainly play a fast and expansive game, it suits them with the great backs they have and they've got the gas to cause Leicester problems."

Scarlets coach Phil Davies will no doubt study how the Ospreys tore shreds in the renowned Leicester defence with four tries.

But he will also have heard the alarm bells ring after watching the Tigers run in four of their own in a formidable first-half blitz, though Ospreys coach Lyn Jones believes the Scarlets will not make the same mistake.

"I'm sure the Scarlets will have taken some heart from our performance in the second half and I'm sure they won't concede 28 points in the space of 20 minutes," he said. "I just can't see that happening again; it's very unusual at this level and it will be a lot tighter next week."

Leicester's Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni and outside-half Paul Burke are fresh doubts for the European clash after both hobbled off at Twickenham.

But Tigers coach Pat Howard warned the Scarlets his side are full of confidence for the eagerly awaited semi-final after lifting their first trophy in five years. "We've only got a six-day turnaround between these two very tough games and that is very physically demanding," said Howard.

"But psychologically we are feeling very good after winning the EDF Energy Cup. It's a great feeling.

"We have to manage things very carefully this week and we have a few new injury problems, but we will be more than ready come Saturday to face the Scarlets."