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).

So unlucky that it was Stoddard was the one that had to give that one away...

Was a cracker.... Cmon scarlets, this could be a hell of a story...

Charge down kick.. Come on Rhys sort it out your having a great game so far

teams are going to keep targetting him in that area because he gets charged down too often.

Well that is the end I guess.

Penalty try explanation?

Who is at tighthead for Scarlets atm?

You would think Priestland learned a lesson after the England game. No get out of jail cards this time.

Morgannwg wrote:Penalty try explanation?

Ref decided that if Scarlets TH and Hooker had not stood up, a try would probably have been scored.

thanks BBC for telling me this game started at 4.40.

:/

Anyone fancy giving me a quick catchup.

Scarlets looked to be doing fairly well on the scoreboard until that try, and why did Stoddart get a Red?

Rees may be in trouble with the citing office

LondonTiger wrote:Well that is the end I guess.

That's a bit much mate. There is plenty of time to go and with Scarlets never say die attitude...

LondonTiger wrote:Rees may be in trouble with the citing office

For a 'face massage' ? If so, then the wreckless stamping on Stoddart is in for a citing.

Great kick Priestland...

Now that's probably it.

Lee Byrne...ouch

Leigh Byrne has still got it, bad news for scarlets good news for wales

Brilliant line running by Byrne to be fair.

Morgannwg wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Well that is the end I guess.

That's a bit much mate. There is plenty of time to go and with Scarlets never say die attitude...

True, I may have been presumptive - just Scarlets pack look shattered.

Ack, switch back to Leinster/Exeter and miss something - ASM try?

Nooo, don't bring Manu on.

Richard Kelly coming on.. First start in the HEC.

Great defense by scarlets...

Brilliant tackle by JD2 prevents another try for Byrne.

maestegmafia wrote:Leigh Byrne has still got it, bad news for scarlets good news for wales

Trust you

When is the return fixture?

Good crowd, they respected the tmo's call on what was obviously not a second try for Byrne, fantastic defence by JD2.

Samson lee is doing great stuff vs Domingo.

The CA try was a early shove, every other scrum he has handled Domingo completely.

Easy for Clermont now.

BP try

35 - 16

Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

Penalty scarlets and they go for the corner.

Great effort for a team with a man down

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

Line out letting scarlets down now Rees is off

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

How can you not think scarlets are doing well?

Jesus they are a man down and are trying all they can. Almost got another try just then.

McCusker looks badly injured.

He's back up, clash of heads.

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

How can you not think scarlets are doing well?

Jesus they are a man down and are trying all they can. Almost got another try just then.

An easy question.

A. They've made some very bad decisions.

B. The Score is 37-16 atm.

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

How can you not think scarlets are doing well?

Jesus they are a man down and are trying all they can. Almost got another try just then.

An easy question.

A. They've made some very bad decisions.

B. The Score is 37-16 atm.

A. They have made far far more very good decisions than bad, all teams make some bad ones.

B. they are down to 14 men, their wage budget is £3.5m, clermont auvergnes is €26m, they are nearly all young and home grown players, the tighthead, who is having a great game, is 19...

CA should be fifty plus points up, they are a world class team, look at the amount of top players they have in all areas.

6 - 6 in Leinster with only 15 minutes to go.

wales606 wrote:6 - 6 in Leinster with only 15 minutes to go.

Leinster a shadow of themselves

Oh dear - poor pass there


ASM are a strange side. Last season against us they only ever played in short bursts. With a bit more effort at Welford Rd they would have beaten us. Watching today, it seems that having scored the 4th try they have decided to just do enough to close the game down.

This attitude comes back to bite them in a tight game such as last years SF.

Great play Knoyle, he's having a superb game.

LondonTiger wrote:Oh dear - poor pass there


ASM are a strange side. Last season against us they only ever played in short bursts. With a bit more effort at Welford Rd they would have beaten us. Watching today, it seems that having scored the 4th try they have decided to just do enough to close the game down.

This attitude comes back to bite them in a tight game such as last years SF.

They are playing fourteen men, they should be looking at their sixth try by now.

You have to give massive credit to the scarlets, if they were fifteen they could well have won this.

That is the fourth try scoring opportunity that scarlets have missed this second half.

They must be knackered.

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

How can you not think scarlets are doing well?

Jesus they are a man down and are trying all they can. Almost got another try just then.

An easy question.

A. They've made some very bad decisions.

B. The Score is 37-16 atm.

A. They have made far far more very good decisions than bad, all teams make some bad ones.

B. they are down to 14 men, their wage budget is £3.5m, clermont auvergnes is €26m, they are nearly all young and home grown players, the tighthead, who is having a great game, is 19...

CA should be fifty plus points up, they are a world class team, look at the amount of top players they have in all areas.

Maes I think you're just making yourself sound rather stupid now.

Lovely by davies

Even if there are some good reasons why these two teams dont start on equal terms, I can't see how anyone can say the Scarlets are doing well?? They've been outclassed everywhere. I would agree that the defense has been good though considering just 14 men.

Exactly.

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Lazy defending because the Scarlets couldn't be bothered to get back up and get on the line they've shipped another try.

That's a bit harsh morg

Scarlets defence has been superb. It was just a great move by a very good team with fifteen men.

The lineout superb too? Your possitivity is inifinite.

How can you not think scarlets are doing well?

Jesus they are a man down and are trying all they can. Almost got another try just then.

An easy question.

A. They've made some very bad decisions.

B. The Score is 37-16 atm.

A. They have made far far more very good decisions than bad, all teams make some bad ones.

B. they are down to 14 men, their wage budget is £3.5m, clermont auvergnes is €26m, they are nearly all young and home grown players, the tighthead, who is having a great game, is 19...

CA should be fifty plus points up, they are a world class team, look at the amount of top players they have in all areas.

Maes I think you're just making yourself sound rather stupid now.

Morgannwg that is a pretty rude comment. I'll ignore it for now mate. But i would expect an apology.

oof chance for a draw!

ack wrongthread - again

I'll bet that scarlets win the home fixture.