Heaslip: 'Scarlets are lethal on the turnover ball'
Jamie Heaslip is relishing getting back out to play this weekend as his IRFU Player Welfare programme comes to an end.
He will lead out the Leinster side as official squad captain for the first time this season having missed last week’s loss to Glasgow in round one.
The defending Guinness Pro 12 Champions welcome Scarlets to the RDS tomorrow afternoon,and the Welsh side will arrive in Dublin fully confident about their try scoring abilities following last week's high scoring 32-32 draw at home against Ulster.
After Leinster’s loss away last week, the Captain is remaining cautious and warns his side against getting caught on the hop.
He says, “I think last week Scarlets were unlucky.”
“They have recruited well this year and have brought some players through and have played some good football.”
“I think they are lethal on the turnover ball so we really have to respect that, there’s plenty of good ball carriers and like any team, if you give them quick ball they have the players in the backline to run a good show.”
In the loss to Glasgow, Leinster had been sloppy particularly in the first half as they missed 18 big tackles resulting in some quick fire try’s for the home side.
Heaslip says that was testament to the way the Scottish side were able to hold onto the ball and keep attacking.
The captain eyes up a much more aggressive Leinster defence this week and says they can’t be as careless as they were last week.
“To have that kind of defence you have to make those first up tackles, you can’t come up hard and miss them and let them get good ball making it hard to stop.”
Where Leinster will have a big advantage before kick-off tomorrow is the fact they are unbeaten at home against Scarlets in the last seven years.
Heaslip agrees that it can be an advantage but also points out that sometimes you’re better off being an underdog going into a game.
“You see our fans calling the RDS the D4tress, and when they away teams come out of the dressing rooms beside the terrace, the fans are letting them know all about it.”
“We take huge pride playing at home and having that fortress mentality, but on the flip side, its easy to be that ‘backs against the wall’ kind of side.”
“We have been in that position as well for example going somewhere that we mightn’t had an awful lot of success so it can be worked both ways,” he said.
