In a rematch of the Champions Cup semi-final a month ago, Leinster and Scarlets will battle it out for Celtic rugby supremacy in the Pro14 Final held in Dublin on Saturday evening, Shaun Goosen reports.
Pro 14 Final 2017/18
Leinster v Scarlets
26 May 19h30
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
To Win (80 Mins)
Leinster 1/5
Draw 25/1
Scarlets 33/10
Leinster
Leinster who dispatched their Welsh rivals 38-16 in that ERCC encounter will be seeking an unprecedented double and “Great” status when they take to the field for the final time this season.
Last week, I wrote that Leinster – the newly crowned champions of Europe – weren’t good enough to make this weekend’s final. I implied that the wind they had knocked out of them in that Champions Cup final would render them non contenders, and that their star names were simply too jaded to perform. I also argued that Munster were potentially just as good a side, and that they would win by between six and nine points.
How wrong I was.
In Isa Nacewa’s final match at the RDS Arena, his Leinster brothers conjured up an archetypal display of winning rugby to sneak into the title-decider in a one-point, 16-15 triumph. Despite missing the key influence of Jonathan Sexton at flyhalf, and in spite of their bruised and battered bodies, the men from Dublin found a way to win.
Maybe they are that good after all?
Because quite frankly, a win this weekend – in what will be Leinster’s first Pro14 final appearance for two years – will guarantee them legendary status. The calibre of Champions Cup opposition faced on their way to going unbeaten, alongside the purple patch Irish rugby has hit of late, will only add to the allure of Leinster’s remarkable 2017-18 campaign.
Scarlets
Standing in their way are the defending Pro14 champion Scarlets, who simply blew Glasgow out of the water in their semi-final. The electric Gareth Davies set the platform for an emphatic 28-13 win at the Scotstoun, where his side’s attacking endeavour was on show for all to see. As good as Leinster may be, the men from Llanelli aren’t too shabby themselves.
Key for Scarlets will be their ability to take full advantage of any opportunities that may present themselves. Davies and flyhalf Rhys Patchell can create magic in midfield but this will count for nothing if they are not clinical. Leinster don’t offer many openings.
The sides have already met three times in all competitions this season with Leinster having won two – including that Champions Cup semi-final – and drawn one. Naturally, past results mean very little in knockout sport, but one should not totally discount the psychological effects these outcomes may have on the Scarlets.
Verdict: Leinster 1/5
In what is sure to be a fascinating game of football, it is Leinster who will make history with a win by five-points or more. I’d hate to bet against them two weeks in a row; especially when they are on the verge of something this special.
