Scarlets ready for French test at start of European campaign

The Scarlets open their Heineken Cup campaign with a glorious early autumn away fixture for supporters in Clermont Auvergne with the region’s players relishing the challenge of beating last year’s European semi-finalists on their well-defended home soil.

The Scarlets kick off in Europe this Saturday 13th October at Stade Marcel Michelin (kick-off 4.40pm local time) – where French super side Clermont Auvergne have not been defeated for more than 40 of their previous home games.

The new home and club of former Scarlets favourite, centre Regan King, the Scarlets know that they will have to bring everything to their Heineken opener to set a marker for their campaign bring all their work so far this season into sharp focus for Round One in Europe.

Head Coach Simon Easterby said the Scarlets were under no allusion as to the challenge ahead of them and said their game would have to be “close to perfect” to get a result – but added the players would approach that challenge positively and with no fear.

He said: “It doesn’t get much tougher than travelling to Clermont; the history they have in their home ground is second to nobody and we are fully aware of the task ahead of us. There are 47 teams before us haven’t been able to win there – so we respect them and what they do at home.

“However, we also have to impose our game on them, as much as their back line is full of quality, ours is too and in terms of quality on paper we are fairly evenly matched.

“Clermont have such depth they have a couple of teams they can put out on the field that are capable of winning any game; they are very extremely well-drilled and very well-coached. It’s a mark of a good team that they haven’t hit their straps yet but they’ve been winning games. We know this one will be a target for them at home after losing out to Castres.

“We can’t hide from their home record but equally we will not just sit back and defend; we have to go there positively with a confident attitude. We’ll have to get a lot of things right and our game will have to be close to perfect.

“If we can do that, we have the type of quality to create and take opportunities. We know that we’ve won in France more than most but we see this as a fresh, new challenge for us and we believe we’re in a good place now to open our campaign with a good performance. The result in the end will be down to small margins.”

Easterby had a full squad to pick from for the big European opener, apart from this season’s star wing performer Andy Fenby who is not available for selection after failing to return to fitness from a dead leg injury at last weekend’s fixture.

The Scarlets draw on an impressive international clad back-line with seven Wales capped backs on duty; Rhys Priestland at outside half, Tavis Knoyle at scrum-half, Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams in centre partnership, George North and Morgan Stoddart on the wings and Liam Williams at full-back.

Up front, the Scarlets put a new South African duo into the second row with this season’s signings Joe Snyman and George Earle combining for the first time. Impressive young Wales U20 tight head Samson Lee wins his place in the starting line-up after his man of the match performance last weekend against the Dragons alongside the very experienced front row performers Matthew Rees at hooker and Prop Phil John in an unchanged front row.

Scarlets team v Clermont Auvergne Saturday 15th October 2012, Stade Marcel Michelin kick-off 4.40pm: 15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Morgan Stoddart, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 1 Phil John, 2 Matthew Rees, 3 Samson Lee, 4 George Earle, 5 Johan Snyman, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Rob McCusker (capt).

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Shaun Hopkins, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Kieran Murphy, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.

Easterby added: “We’re as ready as we’ll ever be. We had a good start to the season with a bit of a blip in two games but those tests give you a bit of focus. It’s an important part of your development as a team as to how you react to disappointment and learn from mistakes.

“We’ve worked hard on our set-piece platforms and if we can match them up front and have parity in the forwards, it will then be an exciting prospect to see the contests back on back and how both sides attack and go after each other.”

And after their big French test Round Two will see the Scarlets face equally formidable and exciting opposition as heart and soul rugby country hosts the European Champions Leinster for a huge occasion at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday October 20th kicking off at 1.35pm.