Phillips looks favourite after Peel released

Feb 27 2008 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

MIKE PHILLIPS emerged last night as a firm favourite to wear the Wales No 9 jersey in the Six Nations Triple Crown clash against Ireland in Croke Park on Saturday week.

That after Phillips’ scrum-half rival Dwayne Peel was released from the Wales squad by coach Warren Gatland to play for the Scarlets in their Magners League visit to Ulster on Friday night.

Though that move does not completely rule Peel out of a starting berth, it would appear to put Phillips in the driving seat.

Phillips made an impact in the second half of Wales’ 47-8 victory over Italy last weekend after he replaced Peel, who went off soon after half-time suffering from blurred vision.

The week before the Italy game Phillips was released to play for the Ospreys after he was picked as a replacement for the Azzurri encounter. Now his performance in the second half on Saturday, when Wales scored four tries, looks to have edged him ahead of Peel in the scrum-half pecking order.

And some would say that is where Phillips deserves to be after starting the opening two championship matches against England and Scotland.

Peel has yet to play a full 80 minutes of rugby this year after coming back from shoulder and then ankle injuries. He came on against Scotland and looked sharp, but, perhaps impeded by injury, he produced a poor performance by his own high standards last weekend.

The Scarlets, also given Alix Popham for their trip, were waiting to find out last night whether Peel had recovered from the injury he picked up last Saturday before they considered him.

But, if cleared to play, the Scarlets, and Peel for that matter, would be looking for him to start at Ravenhill.

“Alix will be involved in our game against Ulster and it’s just a case of seeing where Dwayne is. If he is fit, he will be involved,” said Scarlets director of rugby Phil Davies.

“Alix needs to play and he adds a bit. He will be handy, especially as we are down a few players in the back five.

“But, as much as it’s a big boost to have Dwayne and Alix back, I can’t pay enough credit to the rest of the Scarlets squad over the last six weeks, especially the likes of Dafydd James, Vernon Cooper and James Bater, for the attitude they have shown.”

It will be Popham’s first rugby since he came on in the victory against England, but then Gatland dumped him out of the Wales 22 for Scotland because of on-field disciplinary issues.

Scarlets will have the services of Simon Easterby again after returning from the Ireland camp, but they will not have Scott MacLeod, who was cleared of failing a doping test after taking a controlled asthma medicine without permission.

MacLeod was released by Scotland for the Ulster game, but has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

With MacLeod’s fellow locks Adam Eustace (knee) and Vernon Cooper (hand) out, that means Dafydd Jones could be pressed into service in the second row alongside Lou Reed.

The Scarlets have named a 24-man squad for the Ulster trip, a match the second-placed region must win to keep up the pressure on Magners leaders Leinster.

One of the more notable inclusions in the Scarlets squad is that of young hooker Ken Owens, who has recovered from a serious knee injury he picked up last October.

With four of their remaining seven games left at home, the Scarlets know their Magners League title aspirations are still in their own hands. And it is silverware they are desperate to get their hands on, especially after coming up short in a disastrous Heineken Cup which saw them lose all six pool matches.

But the Scarlets will know it is going to be a difficult match at Ravenhill, especially as new coach Matt Williams made a winning start in charge – a 38-13 win over the Dragons.

And interest in the Ulstermen is on the up again after a poor season, with the main stand sold out for Friday’s clash.

Scarlets (from): M Stoddart, D James, D Daniel, N Brew, R King, G Evans, R Priestland, C Thomas, D Peel, G Cattle, L Williams; I Thomas, P John, D Manu, K Owens, M Schwalger, L Reed, D Day, D Jones, G Thomas, J Bater (capt), S Easterby, N Thomas, A Popham.