Heineken Cup Round 1: Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets (Sat) TEAMS ANNOUNCED

First topic message reminder :

Heineken Cup Pool 5
Venue: Stade Marcel Michelin Date: Saturday, 13 October Kick-off: 16:40 BST
TEAMS
ASM Clermont Auvergne: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra
8 Damien Chouly, 7 Gerhard Vosloo, 6 Julien Bonnaire, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Thomas Domingo.

Bench - 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Daniel Kotze, 19 Julien Pierre, 20 Elvis Vermeulen Loic Jacquet, 21 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 22 David Skrela, 23 Benson Stanley.

Scarlets:Li Williams, G North, J Davies, Sc Williams, M Stoddart, R Priestland, T Knoyle,
P John, M Rees, S Lee, G Earle, J Snyman, A Shingler, J Turnbull, R McCusker (c),

Bench -: K Owens, S Hopkins, D Manu, S Timani, K Murphy, G Davies, A Thomas, G Maule.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

Lock Tomas Vallejos is an 'option' for the Scarlets ahead of their Heineken Cup clash with Clermont Auvergne.

The 27-year-old, who signed from Harlequins in the summer, has been on Test duty with Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

The Scarlets face Clermont in Pool 5 at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday.

"He is an option, but it is difficult with the lineout calls to throw someone straight in," said Simon Easterby, the Scarlets coach.

"He will be considered and the good thing is that we have players who have performed in the last few weeks and have earned the right to be selected as well."

The Pumas second row flew in from Argentina this week following the completion of the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship.

He only appeared once during the Pumas' campaign — as a replacement during the home defeat to the All Blacks — so it is unlikely he will be involved in the Pool 5 clash at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

But his arrival will add further strength to the region's front-five resources.

"He is a player we looked at last season, playing for Harlequins in the Premiership," said Easterby.

"We are really pleased that he is able to sign but unfortunately he has missed a big chunk of the start of the season being at the Rugby Championship.

"He has come in and been really positive and enthusiastic and offers a slightly different second row option."

A trip to France does not hold any fears for the Scarlets, who beat Castres on their own patch in the Pool stages of last season's tournament.

Coach Simon Easterby, who is in his first season in charge at Parc Y Scarlets, reached three semi-finals with Llanelli and the Scarlets before the turn of the decade but each ended in a heart-breaking defeat.

The former Ireland flanker tasted defeat to Northampton Saints in 2000 and Leicester Tigers in 2002 and 2007 as he and his team-mates threatened to become the first Welsh team to lift Europe's most-coveted trophy.

But since those heady days, the Scarlets have failed to qualify for the Heineken Cup knockout stages since they were beaten by the Tigers at the then Walkers Stadium some five-and-a-half years ago.

The Scarlets do face a tough Pool , with Heineken Cup holders Leinster and last season's beaten semi-finalists ASM Clermont Auvergne and exciting English debutants Exeter Chiefs in their Pool.

The Scarlets did reach the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals last season but were beaten 15-11 by Brive on French soil. Clermont lifted the same trophy in 1999 and 2007.

The Scarlets need just 14 points to reach the tournament 2,500 points mark, while David Skrela, the Clermont Auvergne fly-half, needs just 17 points to become only the seventh player to score 500 Heineken Cup points.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19883003


A HEC campaign start doesn't get more difficult that this - lets hope the Scarlets pack really step up and can stop Clermont to some degree. It'll be very tough and I really hope we don't pick up any injuries - a losing bonus point is a must if we want to try and qualify, but a win would be a bonus (if unlikely).

PM'd you Priest

Much obliged!

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Yup that's the problem in Cardiff, I a lot of pubs will be showing Prem/Championship football and while there will definately be pubs showing the rugby it's finding out which ones before kick off.

Good news on that front, i've been told it is international football this weekend, so the prem/championship are on hold.

Ahh of course - how could I forget, I passed loads of maurauding kilt wearing Scots men in Cardiff this morning ready for the game tomorrow in the CCS. Wanted to go down but no money, and the fact Wales are playing dire is off putting.

There maybe more of a chance of seeing the scarlets then .

I'm looking forward to this game! This one along with Toulouse vs Leicester.

Morgannwg wrote:I'm looking forward to this game! This one along with Toulouse vs Leicester.

i wish i could say the same - why couldnt we have had sale, zebre or montpellier in our group?

Have faith ladies drink, have faith. It is a good Scarlets team. Just hope and prey that pack of forwards learnt from their pasting at the hands of the Ospreys 8.

There are no easy games anymore in this competition. Scarlets have a great team and play fantastic rugby. They have to back themselves, they are young and play a great fluid game.

C'mon Scarlets...!

Great team today, only two NWQs. Very impressive, only uncapped Welshman is 19 year old tighthead Sampson lee.

Let's hope he can get a good performance in again.

Explosive start by scarlets...

Just how CA didn't want the game to start...

What a stadium... Absolutely fantastic

What a try jd2

Morgan Parra just left a puddle where North went past him...

Foxy nice finish!!!

Scarlets all over them. Excellent backs.

Need to mention Norths part in that try, looked for all the world he was going to crash up through the centres then steps and plays someone else in leaving 3 defenders flat footed watching him!!!

Sublime by Jon Davies

Plenty off the ball scrapping by both sides...

Rougerie was lucky not to come off worse there.! Very silly behaviour making something out of nothing

Good refereeing so far.. Tough game, both sides aggressive and up for the occasion..

Fantastic kicking by Knoyle.

Ye have to agree MM, ref has been very good till now, quelled the big tempers early on!

Clear penalty, but YC very harsh.

What the hell was Stoddart doing.

Yellow for Stoddart...

Interesting decision by Stoddart to intercept that while offside.. ?

Parra slots another

Can't afford to give away those scarlets

Morgannwg wrote:What the hell was Stoddart doing.

Trying to get back to his position and the ball was passed straight to him. almost impossible not to play that.

In fairness before the yellow Scarlets were warned by the ref numerous pens in short space of time.

Fitzgibbon speaking a bit of French there...!

RP 2 from 2 = get him off!!

LondonTiger wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:What the hell was Stoddart doing.

Trying to get back to his position and the ball was passed straight to him. almost impossible not to play that.

Stodds stole that move off Jamie joseph and Sean Fitzpatrick when he was a nipper watching tv at home...

Good slot by Priestland

6 - 10 to scarlets 20 mins in

First 20 mins of this game is restoring my faith in club rugby...

thebluesmancometh wrote:First 20 mins of this game is restoring my faith in club rugby...

Your not often wrong mate but your right again...!

Great match, two very evenly matched sides.

Great to have 6 points while fourteen men..

Bad kick by Brock james...

Can't make those mistakes

We've seen just about every type of offencive play after 24 mins, this is incredible!!!

Silly penalty, Scarlets have to be more sensible at this level

Why is the commentator saying Mccusker shouldve been yellowed, a tackle isn't a ruck, there is no offside line, the offload is open play and Mccusker has knocked the ball backwards anyway!!!

Great defence scarlets

I love this CA crowd, thats how a crowd is suppose to be, bully the ref at every decision, go nuts for the smallest things!!!!

Bad call ref, CA brought that down. Scarlets pack is really doing well at the set piece

ouch, great try CA!!! John so slow to react.

As good as this game has started I can't see the Scarlets tight 5 living with this pace for too long, Phil John looks ragged already.

thebluesmancometh wrote:I love this CA crowd, thats how a crowd is suppose to be, bully the ref at every decision, go nuts for the smallest things!!!!

Aye couldn't agree more, this is what European rugby is all about.


Great try by CA

Well played.. Scarlets have to fight to get back on top now...

Lost focus for a few seconds. Big gap middle line out. Parra through

13-13

33 min gone

thebluesmancometh wrote:ouch, great try CA!!! John so slow to react.

As good as this game has started I can't see the Scarlets tight 5 living with this pace for too long, Phil John looks ragged already.

Hopkins is not an inspiring sub to bring on..

Silly early shove, but to be fair CA pack are standing off trying to win pens...

Ref was niave there

Stoddart red card...

As much as I liked the ref the red has all but killed this game off!!!

Plenty stamping there by

Stoddart sent off...!

Crazy. But he brought on himself..

What a shame this will likely ruin what was starting to be a great contest

16-13

Well there was little option there, Stoddart was in the wrong, unlucky to have already picked up a yellow.

Should Stodds seen a yellow on either of the penalties against him now? I agree on the ref, he's been giving Clermont everything at the breakdown and now all these decisions.

Was it a straight red or a second yellow red?

If it was a second yellow was it clear cynical play near the line? If so ... ah just turned over and seen a replay.

That one was fair enough - but I still think the first was harsh.

whoa, the ref has been very good, allbeit CA have been more streetwise with him so far, had to yellow Stoddart (2nd time anyway)

That first 25 minutes were immense, CA started to get on top and now it's all but over, such a pity from a neutrals POV!!!

LondonTiger wrote:Was it a straight red or a second yellow red?

If it was a second yellow was it clear cynical play near the line? If so ... ah just turned over and seen a replay.

That one was fair enough - but I still think the first was harsh.

Agreed the first yellow was a little harsh

3-3 in ther other match at HT.

Cheers lt

CA have world class talent all over the park. Scarlets will be fortunate to get a losing bonus point in this one.

But such a promising start by scarlets.