Rugby Magners League
United Kingdom
The Magners League
Llanelli Scarlets vs Newport Dragons
Match scheduled:
Date: 23-10-2009
Time: 18:05 until 20:05
Magners League
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In 2003, the WRU controversially elected to reduce the top tier of Welsh professional rugby from nine clubs into five regions, attempting to mirror the successful formats in Ireland and the Southern Hemisphere countries of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Initially it was planned to have a region playing at Stradey Park, with players coming from Llanelli, Swansea and Neath.[3] This was then modified to have Llanelli and Swansea merging whilst Neath joined with Bridgend. Llanelli were opposed to both plans and requested stand-alone status.[4] Eventually Llanelli (along with Cardiff) were allowed to stand alone.[5] On 7 July 2003, the Llanelli Scarlets brand was officially launched.[6]
The Scarlets officially represent the whole of West and North Wales, based mostly around Llanelli, although attempts have been made at taking the club to other outposts such as Wrexham. Ownership of the Scarlets brand is in the hands of Llanelli RFC which also runs a second team in the Principality Premiership in the same way as Cardiff.
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Largely drawn from the very successful Llanelli RFC side of the preceding year, the Scarlets carried that success forth into their inaugural season. They reached the last eight of the 2003-04 Heineken Cup and finished the Celtic League season as champions by four points over Ulster. In the Heineken Cup, the Scarlets were drawn in Pool Four along with Northampton Saints, Agen and Border Reivers. The Scarlets won five of their six matches, losing only to Agen, and finished at the top of their pool. Nonetheless, they were defeated by French club Biarritz Olympique 27-10 in the quarter-final.
The following season, however, was less successful. Plagued by injuries and retirements, as well as the transfer of influential fly-half Stephen Jones to Clermont, the Scarlets finished a disappointing fifth in the league and were even less successful in the Heineken Cup. The Scarlets won just two of their six pool games, leaving them third in the pool behind Northampton Saints and Toulouse. The salvation of their season came in reaching the final of the Celtic Cup, where they lost 26-17 to Munster.
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In the 2005-06 season, the Scarlets again failed to qualify from their Heineken Cup group and finished 6th in the Celtic League. They did however find more success in the newly-restructured Powergen Cup. After finishing at the top of their pool, they defeated Bath by one point in the semi-finals, setting up a dream final for the organisers, who were determined that cross-border competition was the way forward. The Twickenham final was a tragic let-down for the Scarlets, with several international players missing, and they eventually went down 26 points to 10 to London Wasps. In the Heineken Cup, it was a similar story to the previous season, with the Scarlets winning two of their six fixtures, and they finished third in the pool again, behind Toulouse and Wasps. However, their sixth place finish in the Celtic League secured a place in the Heineken Cup tournament for the 2006-07 season as the second best Welsh team in the league. They also re-signed Stephen Jones and full-back Barry Davies extended his contract to stay with the Scarlets. The Scarlets' Director of Rugby, Gareth Jenkins, had been appointed as Wales' national team coach, having been with the region since its inception. Phil Davies, then coach of Leeds Tykes, replaced Jenkins at the Scarlets
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At the first home game of the 2006-07 season, an information sheet was handed out to supporters with details of the club's financial situation. Currently there is opposition by local residents of plans by the Scarlets to move to a new stadium and sell their current ground for housing development. The information sheet stated that due to delays caused by the opposition and benefactors pulling out of the club it is "extremely unlikely that (Llanelli Scarlets) could survive to the end of the present season unless other financial assistance is found" which would result in "the loss, probably for all time, of professional rugby in West Wales." Local residents believe however that the infrastructure, such as roads and schools, will not cope with 450 new houses being built on the site. On November 28 2006, the regions secured investment from Tim Griffiths, a London-based businessman.
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In the 2006-07 Heineken Cup, the Scarlets recorded one of the most famous victories in their brief history as a region, defeating Toulouse 41-34 away, despite twice trailing by 21 points. This was an unexpected victory despite the Scarlets having won their first three games of the 2006-07 competition. They later secured their place in the Heineken Cup quarter-final with a convincing 35-11 win over Ulster at Ravenhill. The Scarlets went on to become only the fifth team in the history of the competition to win all their pool matches (they would be joined two hours later by Biarritz). The Scarlets beat current holders Munster 24-15 at Stradey Park in the quarter-finals, but were beaten 33-17 in the semis by a strong Leicester side, putting an end to their hopes of making it "third-time-lucky" in Heineken Cup semi-finals. On 30 April 2008, Phil Davies was controversially sacked as the Scarlets' head coach. The reasons for his departure remain unclear but it is believed that he found out via the media before being informed by club chairman Stuart Gallacher.
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In 2008, the Scarlets dropped the prefix "Llanelli" from their name in order to reflect their regional identity.[9] The Scarlets moved from Stradey Park at the end of November 2008 to a new ground at Permberton called Parc y Scarlets. The final Scarlets match played at Stradey Park was on 24 October 2008, against Bristol in the group stage of the EDF Energy Cup. The Scarlets won with a score of 27-0 in front of a capacity crowd which included former Llanelli captains such as Delme Thomas and Phil Bennett.
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The Scarlets' first match at their new home was a Magners League fixture on 28 November against Munster. The Scarlets lost this match 16-18.[11] Their first Heineken Cup match at Parc y Scarlets was held on 12 December against Ulster which ended in a draw of 16 all.[12] Both matches were held with reduced capacity, as law requires that a new stadium hold three events at reduced capacity before it is authorised for its full capacity. The official opening ceremony was on 31 January 2009 when the Scarlets faced the Barbarians.
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[edit] Home ground
From 2003 through the 2007-08 season, the Scarlets played most of their home matches at Llanelli's Stradey Park (which is also the home of the Llanelli RFC). However, they have played several games in North Wales, at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, to promote the region's geographical representation. The 2006-07 season was planned to be the last season played at Stradey Park, which will subsequently be demolished for the building of apartments. The Scarlets played every home game of the 2006-07 season at Stradey Park to commemorate the historic ground. They played their last ever game at Stradey Park on 24 October against Bristol, and their first game at Parc y Scarlets on 28 November against Munster.
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The new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC, known as Parc y Scarlets (English: Scarlets Park),[13] is in Pemberton. The new stadium cost £23million to be constructed and seats up to 14,340 spectators.[14] The first game held at the Stadium was Llanelli RFC versus Cardiff RFC held on 15 November 2008.[15] The stadium's main stand is located on the south side of the ground, and houses the new Scarlets museum and club shop, as well as a sports bar, the players' changing rooms and a players' gym. Stadium blueprints planned for the main stand to be about 20 metres (66 ft) tall. Outside the stadium there is a training barn for the players, as well as a training pitch and athletics track. The remainder of the site is taken up by a retail park, which features stores such as Morrisons.
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[edit] Players
[edit] Current squad
As of 22 May 2009, according to official website.[17]
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