DELVE STARTS SEMI-FINAL ON BENCH

Delve will start on the bench for the Millennium Stadium match in a side that shows a number of changes from last weekend’s match against Gloucester

Bath coach Brian Ashton has recalled Duncan Bell, Matt Stevens Steve Borthwick, Danny Grewcock and Andy Williams to the squad after they missed the 18-15 victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm.

There is also a place in the twenty-two for England under 21 full back Nick Abendanon. David Bory (hamstring) and Michael Stephenson (collar bone) have lost their race to be fit in time to start the big match, but their absence clears the path for two players who have been chomping at the bit to play. Matt Perry, who has not played since sustaining thumb ligament damage against Leeds in January, starts at fullback, whilst Salesi Finau is handed the chance to play against his former club.

“It will be interesting for me,” said the Tongan. “I have a lot of friends at Llanelli, which will add to the occasion, but playing at the Millennium Stadium in a major semi-final is the reason why we all play this sport.”

Meanwhile the Bath Rugby head coach has been busy this week preparing his side for the biggest game of the club’s season to date and expects the rugby to be worthy of the occasion.

“I am expecting some pretty exciting rugby,” said Ashton. “Llanelli have been known through the years as a side that is prepared to play rugby whatever the circumstances, whatever the conditions, and I am sure that will be no different on Saturday.”

One of the oldest fixtures in the rugby calendar, Bath versus Llanelli matches are always passionate affairs and with possession of the Rag Doll at stake, tomorrow’s semi-final promises to be no different.

“There were some fantastic matches between the two sides in the late eighties and into the early nineties,” recalls Ashton. “Perhaps not so much with the first team as these tended to be second team matches played on a Friday night, but that did not stop the two sides from going at one another, and I expect that to be the main theme on Saturday evening. We will both have a go at one another within the spirit of the game.”

Whilst clubs have approached the new-look Powergen Cup in varying ways, Bath Rugby have taken the competition seriously.

“Any semi-final is very important,” said Ashton. “There is a lot of personal and team pride at stake and it is a route into Europe. We are going into Wales to play a Welsh team, so there are lots of factors surrounding the game that make it a pretty exciting occasion. Everyone involved from this club is really looking forward to 5.15pm tomorrow.”

Bath: Perry; Higgins, Crockett, Maddock, Finau; Malone, Walshe; Stevens, Mears, Bell; Borthwick (capt), Grewcock; Beattie, Lipman, Feaunati.
Replacements: Dixon, Flatman, Delve, Short, A Williams, Dunne, Abendanon.

Scarlets: B Davies; M Jones; Watkins, King, James; Hercus, Stuart-Smith; Dunlea, Rees, J Davies; Afeaki, A Jones; Easterby (capt), G Thomas, Popham.
Replacements: Madden, Gravelle, D Jones, Quinnell, D Williams, L Davies, Byrne.