Scarlets target Magners title

Feb 17 2008 by Simon Roberts, Wales On Sunday

SCARLETS have set their sights on the Magners League title after running out comfortable 30-7 winners over Glasgow at Stradey Park on Friday night.

The Welsh region ran in three tries and earned themselves a bonus point to kick start a disappointing campaign.

Coach Phil Davies has seen his side knocked out of the Heineken Cup and the Anglo-Welsh Cup, but is confident his team have turned an important corner.

“A few more of that type of result will go down well; it gives us momentum,” he said.

“Take this into the next couple of weeks when we go to Ulster and we’re still in the hunt to win the championship, which is crucial.

“I think we looked potent with the ball and we looked organised defensively as well.

“We set ourselves a good platform early on from the forwards and played very well.

“I am pleased for the boys and there are a lot of smiling faces, which is great.”

Centre Regan King, who has recently signed a new contract to stay at Stradey, ran in two of his side’s five tries.

After Sale finally confirmed they had signed Dwayne Peel, the Wales and Lions scrum-half, from the Scarlets in midweek, this win was a real psychological boost.

Half-backs Gavin Cattle and Rhys Priestland and lprop Iestyn Thomas scored the home side’s other touchdowns.

Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, who was at the game to run the rule over a few players outside of his squad, would have been impressed with the performances of two players.

Prop Thomas, the silent assassin, proved, once again, he is probably the best player in Wales outside of the national squad.

Full-back Morgan Stoddart also produced a strong-running performance to prove he is likely to earn more than the one Wales cap he won against South Africa last autumn.

But prop Thomas wasn’t thinking about a Test call-up and was satisfied that the Scarlets were now back on track.

“It was important to get a win because we’ve had a few bad results really so it was good to try and get the show back on the road,” said Thomas.

“We made a few mistakes, but in patches we played some good stuff, which is pleasing with the hard work we have put in over the last couple of weeks.”