News article – Style E 4928

Simon Easterby lining out for Llanelli Scarlets

A late replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio on the Lions tour, Ireland flanker Simon Easterby is eyeing up a re-match with the All Blacks at Lansdowne Road next month.

The Llanelli Scarlets skipper, who started the Lions’ second and third Tests against New Zealand this summer, feels his experience in the Land of the Long White Cloud has made him “a better player”.

Now back and in the thick of Celtic League and Anglo-Welsh Powergen Cup action for the Scarlets, Easterby is putting that to practice.

Leeds Tykes coach Phil Davies noted last week after his side had lost 28-7 at the hands of Easterby’s Llanelli side: “We had a lesson in the contact area – (Simon) Easterby was world class and that’s where the game was lost.”

That sort of form would be ideally suited for Lansdowne Road on November 12 when Ireland enter Tri-Nations champions New Zealand, and Easterby reckons Eddie O’Sullivan’s side are in with a good shout of beating the visitors.

“Ireland used to be considered the whipping boys but not any more,” he told BBC Sport.

“This squad is looking particularly strong – whoever Eddie O’Sullivan picks will be in with a good chance of beating the All Blacks.

“It will be crucial that we make fewer mistakes and turn over less ball than the Lions did, because they showed in the summer that they can punish you.

“We will create opportunities and when they come along we’ll have to take them – it sounds pretty simple but it’s key.”

Easterby, 30, has played twice against the All Blacks for Ireland previously, on the June 2002 tour Down Under. The Harrogate-born flanker started both of the tour’s Test matches, which ended in defeats for O’Sullivan’s men – 15-6 in Dunedin, and 40-8 in Auckland.