2008–09 Scarlets season

The 2008–09 season is the sixth in the history of the Scarlets regional side. The season will see the Scarlets compete in three competitions: the Celtic League, the EDF Energy Cup and the Heineken Cup. The season welcomes a change of ground, with the team moving from their home of over 125 years, Stradey Park, to a new stadium in Pemberton named Parc y Scarlets, as well as a change in the team name, dropping the "Llanelli" from their moniker to become the Scarlets.[1]

Scarlets
2008–09 season
ChairmanStuart Gallacher
Head coachNigel Davies
Celtic League5th
EDF Energy CupGroup stage (2nd)
Heineken CupGroup stage (4th)
Top try scorerLeague:
Martin Roberts (6)
All:
Morgan Stoddart (7)
Top points scorerLeague:
Stephen Jones (108)
All:
Stephen Jones (200)
Highest home attendance14,497 vs Barbarians (31 January 2009)
Lowest home attendance6,041 vs Connacht (13 September 2008)

Pre-season and friendlies

Date Opponents H / A Result
F A
Scorers Attendance
23 August 2008 Bath A 16 24 Try: Higgitt 47' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: C. Thomas (2) 7', 29', Priestland 45'
29 August 2008 London Wasps A 20 17 Try: M. Jones 40+4' m
Pen: S. Jones (3) 18', 42', 56', C. Thomas 71'
Drop: C. Thomas 80+3'
31 January 2009 Barbarians H 40 24 Tries: Jacob 3' c, Davies 15' c, Stoddart (2) 21' c, 40+3' m, Roberts 49' c, G. Evans 59' c
Con: C. Thomas (5)
14,497
26 March 2009 Newport Gwent Dragons A 32 24 Tries: D. Evans (2) 40+3' c, 46' c, C. Thomas 43' c
Con: C. Thomas (3)
Pen: C. Thomas
2,755

Celtic League

The Scarlets opened their 2008-09 Celtic League season away to Ulster on 5 September 2008. Despite playing against the wind in the first half, the Scarlets scored an early penalty in the sixth minute, before Darren Daniel scored the first try of the game, crossing in the corner. Clinton Schifcofske scored three penalties in response to make the half-time score 10–9 to the visitors. The Scarlets then took full advantage of the wind in the second half, Stephen Jones putting over two penalties to put the result beyond doubt.[2] The Scarlets' next match came five days later, when they travelled to Rodney Parade to take on the Newport Gwent Dragons. The game looked out of the Llanelli side's reach at half time, as they trailed 25–6, but two unanswered tries from Martin Roberts and Nathan Brew, a conversion and two further penalties from Stephen Jones pulled the score back to 25–24. Brew came close to putting the Scarlets into the lead with 11 minutes to go, but fumbled the ball before he could get to the line, while Stephen Jones put an easy drop goal wide moments later. Fortunately for him, after Robert Lewis conceded a penalty in front of the posts, Jones finally gave the Scarlets a two-point win with three minutes left to play.[3]

The team's next game came just three days later, at home to Connacht in the first of their final three games at Stradey Park. The Irish side opened the scoring with a penalty in the first minute, but those were to be their only points of the match as the Scarlets tore through the Connacht defence seemingly at will. Both Morgan Stoddart and Dafydd James broke the Connacht line before Deacon Manu scored the first try of the game, and then an almost identical one soon after to make the score 12–3 going into half-time. Two more tries came soon after the break, from Jonathan Davies and Nathan Brew, securing the try bonus point for the Scarlets. Man of the match Morgan Stoddart added two more before the end, with his tries separated by one from Mark Jones, to end the final Celtic League game at Stradey Park with a 45–3 win for the home side.[4]

The Scarlets unbeaten start to the season came to an end on 19 September when they travelled to Scotland to play Edinburgh, losing 32–12. The loss meant that the Scarlets' run of being the only team not to beat Edinburgh at Murrayfield continued. It took 26 minutes before the first try came for Edinburgh, and it was not long before they added a second. They could have had a third just before half time, but Mark Robertson knocked on in the in-goal area attempting to gather a bouncing ball. The third eventually did come, however, as did a fourth before the midpoint of the second half. A Morgan Stoddart try was sandwiched between Edinburgh's two second half scores, and Martin Roberts crossed with a minute left to play, but it was too little, too late for the Scarlets.[5] They then suffered a second defeat to a Scottish team in as many weeks with a 34–20 loss to Glasgow Warriors on 26 September. Despite taking a 12–0 lead in the first quarter of the match, the Scarlets found themselves 13–12 down at half-time and conceded another two tries before the 60 minute mark. Mark Jones scored a consolation try with eight minutes to go, but it was nullified by a last minute Glasgow try.[6]

After a two-month break for the EDF Energy Cup, the Heineken Cup and the Autumn internationals, the Scarlets restarted their Celtic League campaign with a home game against Munster on 28 November 2008, their first match at their new stadium, Parc y Scarlets. The two sides exchanged a penalty each in the first quarter of the game, but it was Munster who scored the first try at the ground, Ian Dowling crossing in the 33rd minute. Denis Leamy then scored a converted try shortly before half-time, making the score 15–3 to the Irish at the interval. The second half was largely uneventful until the Scarlets made a late resurgence, being awarded a penalty try in injury time at the end of the game. However, it was not enough to overturn the Munster lead, the match finishing 18–16 to Munster.[7]

Date Opponents H / A Result
F A
Scorers Attendance League
position
5 September 2008 Ulster A 16 9 Try: Daniel 22' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (3) 6', 42', 58'
7,368 2nd
10 September 2008 Newport Gwent Dragons A 27 25 Tries: Roberts 53' m, Brew 62' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (5) 20', 31', 43', 46', 77'
5,057 2nd
13 September 2008 Connacht H 45 3 Tries: Manu (2), J. Davies, Brew, Stoddart (2), M. Jones
Con: S. Jones (4), C. Thomas
6,041 1st
19 September 2008 Edinburgh A 12 32 Tries: Stoddart 56' m, Roberts 79' c
Con: C. Thomas
2,655 2nd
26 September 2008 Glasgow Warriors A 20 34 Tries: S. Jones 5' m, M. Jones (2) 20' c, 72' m
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones 79'
2,450 3rd
28 November 2008 Munster H 16 18 Try: Penalty try 80+4' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland (3) 22', 42', 72'
8,436 6th
20 December 2008 Cardiff Blues H 27 13 Tries: Roberts 38' m, John 62' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (5) 9', 32', 72', 80', 80+6'
7,610 4th
27 December 2008 Ospreys A 6 20 Pen: Priestland (2) 2', 9' 20,520 4th
1 January 2009 Newport Gwent Dragons H 29 24 Tries: King 6' c, John 60' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (5) 9', 49', 63', 67', 71'
7,050 3rd
9 January 2009 Connacht A 17 14 Tries: Manu 60' c, S. Jones 74' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: Priestland 5'
2,063 3rd
21 February 2009 Leinster H 17 31 Tries: Roberts 33' c, Manu 53' c
Con: Priestland (2)
Pen: Priestland 30'
6,436 4th
8 March 2009 Edinburgh H 13 6 Tries: D. Evans 5' m, Owens 16' m
Pen: D. Evans 80+1'
6,302 4th
4 April 2009 Glasgow Warriors H 21 38 Tries: G. Evans 40+1' m, D. Jones 48' c
Con: S. Jones (1/2)
Pen: S. Jones (3) 18', 27', 40+4'
6,103 6th
18 April 2009 Ospreys H 19 28 Try: J. Davies 56' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland (4) 20', 25', 40+1', 40+3'
11,444 8th
24 April 2009 Munster A 10 29 Try: Roberts 46' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: Priestland 12'
8,000 8th
8 May 2009 Leinster A 8 45 Try: M. Jones 30' m
Pen: D. Evans 23'
11,160 8th
13 May 2009 Cardiff Blues A 30 9 Tries: Williams (2) 27' m, 63' c, Day 43' m, Daniel 80+1' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: Priestland (2) 22', 37'
8,212 7th
16 May 2009 Ulster H 43 17 Tries: D. Evans 2' c, Day 17' c, Williams 21' m, Daniel 43' c, Roberts 61' c, Lyons 75' c
Con: Priestland (5)
Pen: Priestland 13'
6,219 5th
Pos Club Pld W D L F A PD BP Pts
4 Edinburgh 181007380282+981050
5 Scarlets 1890937639519440
6 Cardiff Blues 1881932236139438

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Points for; A = Points against; PD = Points difference; BP = Bonus points; Pts = Points

EDF Energy Cup

The Scarlets kicked off their 2008–09 EDF Energy Cup campaign with a 26–17 win away to Saracens on 5 October 2008. Australian Number 8 David Lyons opened the scoring for the Llanelli side, but Saracens responded almost immediately with two converted tries. However, the Scarlets took a 16–14 half-time lead through the boot of Stephen Jones. Saracens retook the lead soon after the break, but a Kees Meeuws try in the 48th minute secured the win for the Scarlets, while Stephen Jones denied the English side a losing bonus point with a penalty in the 63rd minute.[8]

On 24 October 2008, the Scarlets hosted Bristol for the last ever competitive match to be held at Stradey Park. The home side got off to a perfect start, with Morgan Stoddart crossing the try line after just two minutes. Following lengthy analysis by the Television Match Official, Simon Easterby was awarded a try just before half-time, to take the score to 17–0 going into half time. A Stephen Jones penalty 10 minutes into the second half made it 20–0, before former Bristol centre Rob Higgitt scored to effectively put the result beyond doubt. The remainder of the match was spent with the Scarlets seeking the one try that would have given them the bonus point win, but it never came, and they had to be content with a 27–0 whitewash. The result put them in pole position to qualify for the semi-finals, although Northampton were still to play both Saracens and the Scarlets themselves.[9]

Saracens beat Northampton that Sunday, meaning that the Scarlets needed only to avoid defeat to Northampton to qualify for the semi-finals. The match was played at Franklin's Gardens on the Saturday of the following weekend, and started at a blistering pace, with Regan King and Morgan Stoddart scoring tries in the first ten minutes. Northampton hit back immediately through Chris Ashton, who added another in the 29th minute. Ashton's two tries, in addition to a penalty for each side, meant that the half-time score was 13–13. Northampton started the second half the brighter of the two sides, and they took the lead for the first time when Bruce Reihana scored a converted try in the 45th minute. They stretched their lead midway through the half, through Sean Lamont and the boot of Stephen Myler, and, although they suffered a yellow card to James Downey, they held off a Scarlet resurgence to win 33–20 and qualify for the semi-finals.[10]

Date Opponents H / A Result
F A
Scorers Attendance Pool
position
5 October 2008 Saracens A 26 17 Tries: Lyons, Meeuws
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (4)
6,068 2nd
24 October 2008 Bristol H 27 0 Tries: Stoddart 2' c, Easterby 40+3' c, Higgitt 66' c
Con: S. Jones (3)
Pen: S. Jones (2) 14', 49'
10,500 1st
1 November 2008 Northampton Saints A 20 33 Tries: King 5' m, Stoddart 8' m, Davies 72' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: C. Thomas 17'
12,042 2nd
Team Pld W D L F A BP Pts
Northampton Saints 32018270210
Scarlets 3201735008
Saracens 3201746708
Bristol 3003398111

Heineken Cup

Date Opponents H / A Result
F A
Scorers Attendance Pool
position
11 October 2008 Harlequins H 22 29 Tries: Stoddart 1' m, M. Jones 12' m
Pen: S. Jones (4) 26', 36', 40+4', 51'
8,236 3rd
18 October 2008 Stade Français A 15 37 Try: M. Jones 18' m, C. Thomas 75' c
Con: C. Thomas
Pen: S. Jones 14'
10,240 3rd
5 December 2008 Ulster A 16 26 Try: C. Thomas 78' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (3) 10', 28', 47'
10,000 4th
12 December 2008 Ulster H 16 16 Try: Daniel 45' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (3) 17', 53', 77'
8,026 4th
18 January 2009 Stade Français H 31 17 Tries: Lyons 3' c
Davies (2) 54' m, 70' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (4) 8', 13', 31', 59'
7,417 4th
24 January 2009 Harlequins A 24 29 Tries: Stoddart 56' c, Rees 60' c, Evans 80' c
Con: S. Jones (3)
Pen: S. Jones 11'
11,083 4th
Team Pld W D L TF PF PA +/- BP Pts
Harlequins 650116144115+29222
Stade Français 630313131109+22315
(Ireland) Ulster 62131311313421111
Scarlets 6114121241543027

Squad statistics

Pos. Name Magners
League
EDF Energy
Cup
Heineken
Cup
Total Discipline
AppsTryConPenDropPts AppsTryConPenDropPts AppsTryConPenDropPts AppsTryConPenDropPts
FB Daniel Evans 7202016 000000 000000 7202016 00
FB Morgan Stoddart 10300015 2200010 4200010 16700035 10
WG Nathan Brew 3200010 100000 000000 4200010 00
WG Darren Daniel 11300015 000000 510005 16400020 00
WG Matthew Jacob 200000 100000 000000 300000 00
WG Dafydd James 300000 000000 000000 300000 00
WG Mark Jones 11400020 200000 4200010 17600030 00
WG Gareth Morris 400000 000000 000000 400000 00
WG Yannick N'Gog 100000 000000 000000 100000 00
CE Jonathan Davies 16200010 210005 4200010 22500025 00
CE Gavin Evans 910005 300000 310005 15200010 00
CE Rob Higgitt 900000 210005 200000 1310005 00
CE Regan King 810005 310005 600000 17200010 00
CE Nick Reynolds 200000 000000 000000 200000 00
FH Stephen Jones 12216220108 3066030 60716062 21229440200 00
FH Rhys Priestland 130915063 000000 100000 140915063 00
FH Ceiron Thomas 702004 300103 5210012 15231019 00
SH Gavin Cattle 600000 000000 400000 1000000 00
SH Gareth Davies 100000 000000 000000 100000 00
SH Sililo Martens 600000 300000 300000 1200000 00
SH Martin Roberts 17600025 300000 600000 26200025 10
SH Lee Williams 6300015 000000 400000 11300015 00
PR Craig Cross 200000 000000 000000 200000 00
PR Aled Hopkins 100000 000000 000000 100000 00
PR Phil John 16200010 300000 500000 24200010 00
PR Deacon Manu 14400020 000000 400000 18400020 00
PR Kees Meeuws 600000 310005 200000 1110005 00
PR Scott Roberts 100000 000000 000000 100000 00
PR Iestyn Thomas 1500000 300000 500000 2300000 00
HK Ken Owens 1410005 300000 600000 2310005 00
HK Emyr Phillips 100000 000000 000000 100000 00
HK Matthew Rees 1300000 300000 610005 2210005 10
HK Mahonri Schwalger 500000 000000 000000 500000 00
LK Vernon Cooper 1500000 200000 500000 2200000 00
LK Dominic Day 14200010 200000 500000 21200010 00
LK Scott MacLeod 300000 100000 200000 600000 00
LK Simon Maling 400000 100000 200000 700000 00
LK Lou Reed 1400000 000000 000000 1400000 00
LK Aaron Shingler 400000 000000 000000 400000 00
FL James Bater 000000 000000 000000 000000 00
FL(Ireland) Simon Easterby 1100000 310005 500000 1910005 00
FL Johnathan Edwards 800000 100000 300000 1200000 00
FL Dafydd Jones 1110005 200000 500000 1810005 00
FL Rob McCusker 800000 000000 000000 800000 00
FL Gavin Thomas 500000 200000 200000 900000 00
FL Josh Turnbull 900000 100000 300000 1300000 00
N8 David Lyons 1810005 310005 610005 27300015 00
N8 Nathan Thomas 300000 200000 100000 600000 00

Transfers

In

Date Pos. Name From
5 February 2008 LK Simon Maling Suntory Sungoliath
20 March 2008 SH Sililo Martens Sale Sharks
20 March 2008 CE Rob Higgitt Bristol
27 March 2008 SH Martin Roberts Ospreys
2 May 2008 N8 David Lyons Waratahs
18 May 2008 PR Kees Meeuws Castres

Out

Date Pos. Name To
15 February 2008 SH Dwayne Peel Sale Sharks
14 March 2008 HK James Hayter Released
14 March 2008 PR Ian Jones Released
14 March 2008 HK Daniel George Released
14 March 2008 WG Alec Jenkins Released
14 March 2008 CE Rhys Williams Released
14 March 2008 CE Rhys O. Williams Released
2 May 2008 N8 Alix Popham Brive
12 May 2008 CE Matthew Watkins Gloucester
20 May 2008 PR Bruce Douglas Released
20 May 2008 PR Ben Broster Released
20 May 2008 LK Adam Eustace Released
10 June 2008 FB Garan Evans Retired
28 June 2008 SH Liam Davies Brive
30 November 2008 WG Nathan Brew Released
29 January 2009 LK Scott MacLeod Released
19 February 2009 SH Sililo Martens Released
14 March 2009 FL James Bater Retired
30 March 2009 LK Simon Maling Released
30 March 2009 FL Gavin Thomas Released

References

  1. "Scarlets drop Llanelli from name". BBC Sport. 2008-09-11. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  2. "Ulster 9-16 Scarlets". BBC Sport. 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  3. "Dragons 25-27 Scarlets". BBC Sport. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  4. "Scarlets 45-3 Connacht". BBC Sport. 2008-09-13. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  5. "Edinburgh 32-12 Scarlets". BBC Sport. 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  6. "Glasgow 34-20 Scarlets". BBC Sport. 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  7. "Scarlets 16-18 Munster". BBC Sport. 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
  8. "Saracens 17-26 Scarlets". BBC Sport. 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
  9. "Scarlets win on Stradey farewell". BBC Sport. 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  10. Standley, James (2008-11-01). "Northampton 33-20 Scarlets". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
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