Latest news with #AlecHepburn
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leinster v Scarlets preview: Heat is on the Blue front-row and kick fielders
Scarlets finished eighth in the URC league-proper, surviving failing to secure any league points from a brave display against Sharks, going down 12-3 in Durban, in the final round. At the same time there is the temptation to say they deserved a break as their round 16 win over Leinster, 35-22 at Parc y Scarlets, was genuinely deserved, not least as they kept the Blues scoreless through the last half-hour. Leinster were second-best on the day as Scarlet made off with a bonus point, winning the try-scoring 4-3, clean breaks 12-8, defenders beaten 34-31 and, thanks to some judicious kicking, had 53 percent of the territory. Enough, admits Ronan Kelleher who was part of the starting front-row alongside Cian Healy and Thomas Clarkson in Llanelli, to give any team coming to the Aviva to play Leinster believe the feat can be repeated. 'Absolutely," grimaces the hooker, "obviously off the back of it they got into the play-offs and I thought they were really good on the day. "I thought we obviously were poor in parts as well, but we obviously know how much of a threat that they can cause. "Having played in it, you obviously get it first hand. We took a lot of learnings from that game, what we did wrong, what we need to get right this next day. "And I think that is going to be a massive challenge this weekend, but it had also been a massive focus for us last week because obviously we had the down week not playing in that game and this week now going ahead.' Scarlets started Alec Hepburn on the loose side and he played 78 minutes and there are those who will tell you he pushed Taine Plumtree close for Man of Match; Ryan Elias at hooker and Henry Thomas at tighthead at Parc y Scarlets played 54 minutes apiece. Irish fans are not used to thinking modern Welsh sides are good scrummagers but there was cause for thought there. 'They're quite good, tricky to manage, to be fair." continues Leinster, Ireland and Lions panellist, Kelleher. "Someone like Ryan Elias is experienced. He might not start on the weekend, I don't know what the story is with them, but he's quite good. Henry Thomas is a very experienced scrummager as well. "Alec Hepburn has obviously been around the block (London Welsh 2013-14, Exeter Chiefs 2014-2024, England 6 caps 2018, Scotland 4 caps 2024). I think the word I'd use is tricky, to be honest. "There has been a bit in the past about how some teams like to load up a lot of weight and you get that load on the neck in the scrum. I think they're a team that probably favours that a bit. "It's just about how you manage that with the referee and how you get through that game. How you communicate that as well. "Because it's important that we get clean scrums, because no one wants that in a game where it is collapsing, feet gone or people standing up because there is too much weight and that. It's just about how do you manage that really.' Besides the Northampton loss was also raining on the Irishman's parade at a time when he should be celebrating his Lions selection, buoyed from the best piece of TV news this season. 'Obviously it was Thursday here. Finished up training, grabbed the gear bag, ran home. I live with Hugo Keenan, so it was the two of us just watching it together. It was tense. "It was actually funny because it was one of those things. You hadn't really put much thought into it really. Obviously it was in the background of your mind, but you hadn't actually thought about it at all. "When I left training I was like 'jeez, it's happening in the next half an hour', but obviously it dragged on a bit. It was pretty nervy, the two of us just on the couch watching it. "Obviously absolutely delighted once my name was called. I was thrilled. Obviously we had to wait another couple of minutes [the forwards are announced en bloc first] until Hugo's name was called, so we could both celebrate together. "It was great, I was absolutely delighted. My family as well were absolutely thrilled, over the moon. It was unreal.' "As soon as my name was announced, my phone started buzzing. I had to throw it away until Hugo's thing. It was pretty surreal to be honest, but it was unbelievable.' The countdown to Australia has begun. 'We met up as a group there over in London and that was good. It's good to meet everyone. Obviously with those things, there is always obviously a small bit of anxiety going in to meet everyone, but everyone was dead sound. "It was brilliant meeting everyone. It's just a funny concept obviously because you're enemies for the three or four years in the build-up and then obviously you come together, and you have to get close quick. "It was great, it's very much been focused on the here and now. Obviously we had the disappointment with the finish in Europe and now obviously all our eyes are on this competition and trying to win this one.'
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Lions v Scarlets Live: Kick-off time, TV channel and score updates
The Scarlets take on the Lions in Johannesburg this afternoon (2pm) in arguably the biggest game of their season as Dwayne Peel's side chase a place in the United Rugby Championship play-offs. Results did not go the Scarlets' way yesterday and this is must-win territory for the west Walians who are also chasing a place in next season's Champions Cup. The Scarlets are in 10th place on the URC table, just three points off Cardiff who occupy the final play-off place. Peel's side will be full of confidence after overcoming Leinster a fortnight back and have selected a strong team. Scotland prop Alec Hepburn, South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe and Wales tighthead Henry Thomas pack down in the front-row with Alex Craig and Sam Lousi in the second-row. Josh Macleod captains the side and is joined in the backrow by Taine Plumtree and Vaea Fifita. Gareth Davies and Sam Costelow are the half-backs with Johnny Williams and Joe Roberts in midfield. Blair Murray, Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee make up an exciting back three, while Wales loosehead Kemsley Mathias returns from injury to take his place on the replacements' bench. Kick-off is at 2pm with the game live on S4C and Premier Sports. Scroll down for updates Lions: Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Edwill van der Merwe, Kade Wolhuter; Nico Steyn, Morgan Naude; Jaco Visagie (capt), Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter, Ruan Delport, JC Pretorius, Renzo du Plessis, Jarod Cairns. Replacements: PJ Botha, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Darrien Landsberg, Sibabalo Qoma, Layton Horn, Lubabalo Dobela, Rynhardt Jonker. Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Archie Hughes, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page. Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (SARU), Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU) TMO: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
BBC News
28-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scarlets wing Lewis back for Ulster trip
United Rugby Championship: Ulster v ScarletsVenue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday 1 March Kick-off: 17:15 GMTCoverage: Watch live on S4C, BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online from 17:00 GMT. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales. Wing Tomi Lewis will make his first Scarlets appearance for nine months in Saturday's United Rugby Championship (URC) trip to 26, has not featured since rupturing his Achilles in last June's defeat to is named in a side showing seven personnel changes from the loss out in Page starts on the other wing, while there is new front row of Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias and Sam Wainwright. Elias takes over the captaincy in the continued absence of injured flanker Josh Alex Craig starts alongside Sam Lousi, while Max Douglas switches to blind-side flanker in a back row that includes Dan Davis and Jarrod squad centre Joe Roberts starts but Taine Plumtree misses out because of a head injury after the flanker was also released by national interim coach Matt Sherratt. Friends reunited Scrum-half Conor McKee will make his competitive Ulster debut when he partners fly-half Jack go into the contest 14th in the table after losing seven of their 11 fixtures which include the most recent defeats by Italian sides Zebre and Belfast-based side have not lost at home to a Welsh region since Scarlets defeated them in February 2016 and Ulster have won their last five league fixtures against Dwayne Peel's only away victory this season was 25-19 against Cardiff at the Arms Park in October 2024 and they have not beaten an Irish province since Connacht visited Llanelli in March Scarlets assistant coach Jared Payne, the trip to Belfast will be a homecoming, with the former Ireland centre spending 10 years as a player and coach with Ulster."It will be my first time on the visiting team," said Payne."It will be good to go back, see a few old friends and obviously try and get one over on them as well."They have had their fair share of injuries this season, they are getting a few players back this week and knowing a few of the guys who are stepping back into the fold they are pretty competitive and will want to right the wrongs of the last few weeks. "I am sure they are going to come out fighting and are going to be a dangerous team." Ulster: Stewart Moore; Michael Lowry, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Conor McKee; Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Scott Wilson, Alan O'Connor (capt), Matthew Dalton, Matty Rae, Nick Timoney, James John Andrew, Sam Crean, Tom O'Toole, Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery, Jude Ioan Nicholas; Macs Page, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Tomi Lewis; Ioan Lloyd, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias (capt), Sam Wainwright, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Max Douglas, Dan Davis, Jarrod Marnus van der Merwe, Sam O'Connor, Gabe Hawley, Jac Price, Vaea Fifita, Archie Hughes, Charlie Titcombe, Steff Sam Grove-White (SRU)Assistant referees: Padraic Reidy (IRFU), Paula Haycock (IRFU)TMO: Rob McGreer (SRU).
