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Scarlets fly home Wales international Lee after brutal training injury
The Scarlets have confirmed that they have had to fly home Wales international Samson Lee who suffered a brutal training ground injury.
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Lee’s season is almost certainly over, even if the notoriously tricky injury is on the lower end of the scale.
The Scarlets, who face Jake White’s Bulls in Pretoria tomorrow, released the following statement: “Scarlets can confirm that prop Samson Lee has flown back to the UK from South Africa after rupturing his Achilles tendon in training.
“On his return home, the Wales international will undergo a specialist review to establish a management plan for the injury.
“Javan Sebastian has joined the Scarlets squad in Pretoria ahead of their URC match against the Vodacom Bulls on Friday evening,” concluded the statement.
There is good news elsewhere on the injury front however, as Dwayne Peel’s side will have the added boost of Los Pumas back row Tomas Lezana who returns from injury.
Lezana hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury in the Scarlets’ Champions Cup defeat in Bordeaux in January, and is one of eight changes to the starting XV for the rescheduled URC match, one of which is positional.
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Wales international prop Rob Evans also returns. Evans is set for his first appearance since picking up a knee injury against the Ospreys on New Year’s Day.
Johnny Williams and captain Scott Williams are paired in midfield for the fourth time in a row, while Rhys Patchell has been passed fit to start at fly-half and will partner scrum-half Dane Blacker.
Second row Morgan Jones is named on the bench.
“The Bulls are obviously a quality side, a lot of internationals, a big physical pack. We talked last week that physicality is non-negotiable in South Africa, that is a starting point for us, they also have some fast backs who are clinical when they get opportunities,” said Dwayne Peel. “It is about matching that physicality, not kicking loosely and also being excited when we have the ball as well. We saw glimpses last week of some really good stuff when we have the ball, if we can finish a few of those off we will be happy.”
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Ioan Nicholas, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, replaces Tom Rogers in the back three, while Corey Baldwin is replaced on the left wing by a fit Ryan Conbeer.
In the front row, Kemsley Mathias starts at loose-head for the first time, while Javan Sebastian takes over at tight-head for the injured Samson Lee. Lee had an Achilles tendon rupture while training this week and had to return to the United Kingdom.
At lock, Sam Lousi and Jac Price remain, but the back row is reshuffled. Aaron Shingler will play blindside, Lezana will play openside, and Blade Thomson will play No. 8, with Sione Kalamafoni among the replacements.
SCARLETS TEAM: 15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Steff Evans, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Scott Williams (capt), 11 Ryan Conbeer; 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Dane Blacker; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Daf Hughes, 3 Javan Sebastian, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Jac Price, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Tomas Lezana, 8 Blade Thomson.
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Sione Kalamafoni, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Joe Roberts.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments