Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac has acknowledged the degree of difficulty his team face in Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 final.
The Welsh side, PRO12 champions last season, head to Dublin for a quick return appointment with European champions Leinster.
Scarlets were defeated 38-16 by Leinster in a European Champions Cup semi-fnal five weeks ago, before the Irish heavyweights went on to lift the trophy by beating Racing 92 earlier this month.
“They are a very good side,” Pivac said. “We only have to look back to our semi-final where we were completely outplayed.
“They have gone on to win the big prize and be crowned European champions, and deservedly so.
“To back that up against a good Munster team (in last Saturday’s PRO14 semi-final) is not an easy task a week later after celebrations and euphoria of winning it, and was to me a testament to how strong that squad is.
“They will be better this weekend with some guys freshened up.
“We are expecting a massive game. It’s a massive challenge for us, but I think it’s a great game – last year’s PRO12 champions up against this year’s European champions.
🎥 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT v @leinsterrugby 🎥
This is it. The last team announcement of the season! Look forward to seeing you in Dublin. If you can’t be with us head over to Parc y Scarlets! #inthepack#GUINNESSPRO14 #GUINNESSPRO14FINAL pic.twitter.com/ZBbvfdVDKc
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) May 25, 2018
“If you want to win it, you want to do so against the best.”
Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes makes his 100th Scarlets appearance, with full-back Leigh Halfpenny returning to action after missing last week’s semi-final victory over Glasgow due to a hamstring injury.
Elsewhere, Johnny McNicholl moves to the wing and Tadhg Beirne lines up at Number 8 instead of an injured John Barclay, with Lewis Rawlins handed a second-row start alongside Steve Cummins.
Beirne, who will tour Australia with Ireland this summer, makes his final Scarlets appearance before joining Munster next season.
And Pivac added: “He has played second-row, six and eight – he would even play on the wing if you wanted him to. He is a great team man, and is great off the field and works very hard at his game. He has been superb, I can’t say enough about him.”
Fly-half Johnny Sexton has recovered from a groin injury to spearhead Leinster’s title assault, but a knee injury sidelines centre Robbie Henshaw, with captain Isa Nacewa lining up in midfield for his final appearance before retirement.
