The 2007–08 season was the fifth in the history of the Llanelli Scarlets regional side. The season saw the Scarlets compete in three competitions: the Celtic League, the EDF Energy Cup and the Heineken Cup. It was also the last full season for the Scarlets in their historic home, Stradey Park. A new ground, Parc y Scarlets, was under construction during that season, and is scheduled to open in November 2008, early in the 2008–09 season.
On the whole, the season was regarded as a disappointment by pundits and fans alike, as the team failed to qualify from the group stage in either the EDF Energy Cup or the Heineken Cup, even failing to pick up any points from any of their six Heineken Cup matches. The team's league form started off much better, remaining around second place for much of the first half of the season. However, as teams began to get players back from World Cup duty, the Scarlets' league form began to suffer, winning just two games in 2008, resulting in a sixth-place finish in the Celtic League. These failures were largely blamed on the team's failure to strengthen the squad sufficiently the previous summer and resulted in coach Phil Davies departing the club.
Welsh internationals Dwayne Peel, Alix Popham and Matthew Watkins also agreed deals to move away from Stradey Park at the end of the season, while hooker Mahonri Schwalger was signed on a short-term contract mid-season to cover for the injured Ken Owens. Other big-name signings in summer 2007 included Welsh internationals Ben Broster and Nathan Brew, as well as Scottish prop Bruce Douglas and English front-five forwards Adam Eustace and James Hayter.
Pre-season and friendlies The Scarlets prepared for the 2007–08 campaign with two pre-season friendly matches in August. The first friendly was away to the Exeter Chiefs on 18 August 2007, and gave the Scarlets an opportunity to give debuts to their three new front row players, James Hayter, Bruce Douglas and Ben Broster. Exeter had a pair of ex-Scarlets in their team, in the form of Clive Stuart-Smith and Craig Dunlea, but their knowledge of the Scarlets was not enough to prevent a 19–14 win for the Llanelli side.
The next friendly was against Bath at Stradey Park on 25 August 2007. The Scarlets took a 14–7 lead before half-time, and went 17–7 up within the first five minutes of the second half. However, there were to be no further scores for the home side, as Bath scored two more tries to win the game 21–17.
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 August 2007Exeter ChiefsA19–14Tries: Daniel, Bater, JohnCon: Priestland, C. Thomas25 August 2007BathH17–21Tries: Daniel 2' c, King 32' cCon: C. Thomas (2)Pen: C. Thomas 44'
Celtic League DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition1 September 2007Newport Gwent DragonsH23–30Tries: Gar. Evans 44' c, I. Thomas 50' cCon: C. Thomas (2)Pen: C. Thomas (3) 20', 55', 65'5,9234th11 September 2007OspreysA14–9Try: Eustace 45' mPen: C. Thomas (3) 2', 64', 74'10,1432nd22 September 2007MunsterA16–26Try: Watkins 64' cCon: PriestlandPen: Priestland (3) 8', 35', 63'3,4002nd28 September 2007ConnachtH34–11Tries: King 36' c, Cooper 55' c, Stoddart 62' c, J. Davies 80+1' cCon: Priestland (4)Pen: Priestland (2) 27', 33'6,5602nd5 October 2007LeinsterA52–23Tries: Watkins 3' c, Bater 49' c, Edwards (2) 53' m, 59' c, King 56' c, Stoddart 80' cCon: Priestland (5)Pen: Priestland (4) 13', 22', 32', 51'9,4392nd12 October 2007 UlsterH32–8Tries: Watkins 22' c, Edwards 35' m, Manu 40' c, M. Jones 51' cCon: Priestland (3)Pen: Priestland (2) 18', 72'6,2002nd25 November 2007EdinburghA17–27Tries: King (3) 15' m, 38' c, 49' mCon: Priestland1,6382nd27 December 2007OspreysH17–12Tries: G. Thomas 16' c, Brew 49' cCon: S. Jones (2)Pen: S. Jones 48'10,7394th1 January 2008Newport Gwent DragonsA13–15Try: Penalty try 33' cCon: PriestlandPen: Priestland (2) 6', 58'6,7023rd4 January 2008ConnachtA18–20Pen: Priestland (6) 14', 22', 49', 67', 73', 80'1,6814th15 February 2008Glasgow WarriorsH30–7Tries: Cattle 24' c, King 36' m, 76' m, Priestland 50' m, I. Thomas 61' mCon: PriestlandPen: Priestland 13'6,1902nd29 February 2008UlsterA8–20Try: Priestland 64' mPen: Priestland 39'8,8692nd21 March 2008Cardiff BluesH35–17Tries: I. Thomas 11' m, Gav. Evans 21' c, Peel 57' c, James 73' cCon: S. Jones (3)Pen: S. Jones (3) 38', 54', 71'8,4452nd29 March 2008LeinsterH10–24Try: D. Jones 52' cCon: S. JonesPen: S. Jones 16'7,4074th11 April 2008Cardiff BluesA26–35Tries: Peel 4' c, J. Davies 6' c, M. Jones 52' m, Stoddart 54' cCon: S. Jones (3)10,2164th18 April 2008Glasgow WarriorsA23–25Tries: Stoddart (2) 42' c, 53' cCon: S. Jones (2)Pen: S. Jones (3) 11', 33', 61'2,0125th3 May 2008MunsterH23–24Tries: James 28' c, Watkins 31' cCon: S. Jones (2)Pen: S. Jones (3) 6', 23', 57'7,0206th10 May 2008EdinburghH12–29Tries: Schwalger 14' c, James 77' mCon: Priestland7,3386th
Pos Club Pld W D L F A PD BP Pts5Glasgow Warriors181017340349−94466Llanelli Scarlets187011403362+4111397Ospreys186111321255+661137 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 DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition26 October 2007BristolA11–18Try: Stoddart 80+1' mPen: Priestland 4', S. Jones 43'7,1393rd2 November 2007Leeds CarnegieH59–19Tries: D. Evans (2) 3' c, 67' c, Bater 10' c, M. Jones 16' c, Popham 38' cI. Thomas 51' c, MacLeod 59' c, Easterby 64' cCon: S. Jones (8)Pen: S. Jones 26'7,6722nd1 December 2007SaracensH36–32Tries: MacLeod 35' c, S. Jones 43' c, J. Davies 51' m, Gar. Evans 55' mCon: S. Jones (2)Pen: S. Jones (4) 10', 16', 40', 62'6,6252nd
TeamPldWDLFABPPts Saracens320112379412 Llanelli Scarlets320110669311 Bristol3111466906 Leeds Carnegie30126011813
Heineken Cup DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition11 November 2007ASM Clermont AuvergneA21–48Tries: James 18' c, Peel 52' c, King 54' cCon: S. Jones (3)13,0004th17 November 2007London WaspsH17–33Tries: Easterby 24' c, M. Jones 79' cCon: S. Jones (2)Pen: S. Jones 34'9,5574th8 December 2007MunsterH16–29Try: King 24' cCon: PriestlandPen: Priestland (3) 20', 51', 59'10,4564th16 December 2007MunsterA13–22Try: S. Jones 11' cCon: S. JonesPen: S. Jones (2) 49', 63'13,2004th13 January 2008London WaspsA7–40Try: Manu 33' cCon: Priestland8,1734th19 January 2008ASM Clermont AuvergneH0–416,4914th
TeamPldWDLTFPFPAPDBPPts Munster (6)64021314895+53319 Clermont640222189128+61319 London Wasps640219152127+25218 Llanelli Scarlets6006874213−13900
Squad statistics Pos.NameMagnersLeagueEDF EnergyCupHeinekenCupTotalDisciplineATCPDPtsATCPDPtsATCPDPtsATCPDPtsFB Garan Evans7100051100053000001120001000FB Morgan Stoddart165000252100055000002360003010WG Nathan Brew1010005000000200000121000500WG Darren Daniel60000000000030000090000020WG Dan Evans2000001200010000000320001000WG Dafydd James93000152000002100001340002000WG Mark Jones62000103100055100051440002020CE Jonathan Davies62000101100053000001030001500CE Gavin Evans1410005200000500000211000500CE Regan King1670003530000042000102390004500CE Matthew Watkins134000201000004000001840002000FH Stephen Jones6013110593110604331630261222920012800FH Rhys Priestland1321721010710010330230131721925012300FH Ceiron Thomas90260220000004000001302602200SH Gavin Cattle1410005100000200000171000500SH Liam Davies900000000000300000120000000SH Dwayne Peel62000103000004100051330001500PR Ben Broster50000000000020000070000010PR Bruce Douglas900000200000300000140000000PR Phil John1200000100000000000130000000PR Deacon Manu12100053000006100052120001010PR Iestyn Thomas153000152100056000002340002010HK Daniel George10000000000010000020000000HK James Hayter800000200000500000150000000HK Ken Owens90000000000000000090000000HK Matthew Rees700000200000300000120000010HK Mahonri Schwalger71000500000010000081000500LK Vernon Cooper1410005200000400000200000020LK Dominic Day30000000000010000040000000LK Adam Eustace1110005300000600000201000510LK Scott MacLeod100000032000106000001920001000LK Lou Reed1000000000000000000100000010FL James Bater15100051100053000001920001020FL Simon Easterby9000003100055100051720001010FL Johnathan Edwards5300015100000000000630001500FL Dafydd Jones1610005200000400000221000500FL Gavin Thomas610005200000500000131000500FL Josh Turnbull00000000000000000000000000N8 Alix Popham600000210005500000131000520N8 Nathan Thomas1400000000000400000180000000
Transfers
In Date Pos. Name From 17 May 2007 PR Ben Broster Saracens 1 June 2007 WG Nathan Brew Newport Gwent Dragons 1 June 2007 LK Adam Eustace Gloucester 19 June 2007 PR Bruce Douglas Border Reivers 20 July 2007 HK James Hayter Harlequins 16 January 2008 HK Mahonri Schwalger Wellington Lions
Out Date Pos. Name To 1 June 2007 SH Clive Stuart-Smith Exeter Chiefs 1 June 2007 PR John Davies Retired 4 June 2007 PR Craig Dunlea Exeter Chiefs 5 June 2007 PR Hugh Gustafson Newport Gwent Dragons 14 June 2007 FB Barry Davies Brive 21 June 2007 LK Inoke Afeaki Grenoble 22 June 2007 LK Adam Jones Newport Gwent Dragons 27 July 2007 FL Jonathan Mills London Welsh 27 July 2007 HK Aled Gravelle Waterloo
Loan out Date from Date to Position Name To 18 December 2007 18 January 2008 LK Lou Reed Rotherham
References