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C'est avec la réception de Llanelli que le RC Toulon entame sa campagne européenne
The Scarlets face the most daunting of European Rugby Champions Cup starts with a trip to back-to-back champions RC Toulon.
The Stade Mayol clash will be the first time the two sides have met in the inter-continental competition. The European kings have not been at their destructive best so far this season. Last year’s double winners have lost three of the opening nine games. They still sit second in the league behind high-flying Clermont, who they overcame in the 2013 Aviva Stadium showcase.
The Scarlets have endured an error-strewn start to the season that has seen them slip to seventh in the PRO12 standings. They have two wins, two draws and two losses so far.
Head Coach Wayne Pivac has made four changes to the side that came up short against Munster in the Guinness PRO12 last weekend. One change in the backline sees Michael Tagicakibau coming in at outside centre for injured Gareth Owen.nThe front-row has a new look with Rob Evans, Emyr Phillips and Samson Lee coming in for Phil John, Kirby Myhill and Rhodri Jones.
Pivac said: “I'm very much looking forward to it. There's been a lot of talk around the pool and us being in there with the top sides. The focus up until now has been the PRO12 and we can now focus on it.
“What we have to do is become a team of stars on the day. We have to play like a team and cut out our errors to give ourselves a chance.
“We know we have to go in there with a clear plan knowing what we're doing with the ball when we have it. We have to tidy up our game, if we don't we'll be in trouble.”
Leigh Halfpenny starts for his new side, which means there will be a battle of Wales’ in-form full-backs, with Liam Williams starting at the back for Scarlets.
There is no place in the star studded back line for James O’Connor, as Matt Giteau starts at outside half. Mathieu Bastareaud starts in the centre alongside Maxime Mermoz with Bryan Habana on the wing.
Head coach Bernard Laporte said: “Europe has a special flavour. But this season with the new set up, the challenge is even tougher. Competition is good. We are paid to win. You train to win titles.
“The desire to do something is always there. Toulon continue to perform well. The squad are highly motivated. But they will be wary of Scarlets, Ulster and Leicester. It looks really intense. We must win the maximum number of points at home. A Mayol quarter-final is crucial.”
Match Facts
- RC Toulon and Scarlets have never met each other in the Heineken Cup.
- Toulon have won all 11 Heineken Cup home games.
- RC Toulon kicked more penalty goals per game (4) than any other side in the Heineken Cup in 2013/14.
- Scarlets’ averaged just 4.7 offloads per game last season, fewer than any other side in the competition.
- RC Toulon’s Juan Smith made the most tackles in last season tournament (88).
Le double champion d'Europe a fini par faire plier les Scarlets de Llanelli (28-18) au terme d'un match plutôt terne. Trois essais et pas de bonus
Toulon took the first, if slightly tentative, step towards a potential European treble by picking up a 12th successive home win against a highly committed Scarlets.
The Welsh region, seeking to make it a clean-sweep for the four sides on the opening weekend of European action, stayed in touch for the best part of an hour before conceding a third try to lose their grip on a losing bonus point and go down 28-18.
It was Steffon Armitage who finally ended the Welsh resistance when he crossed in the 71st minute for a try which Leigh Halfpenny, on his home debut for the double champions, converted. That took the gap to 15 points, but still left Toulon one try short of an expected bonus point.
The Scarlets, who played with black arm bands as a mark of respect to their former chief executive, Stuart Gallacher, who died earlier in the day, ended a highly creditable afternoon’s work with a try from Kristian Phillips to go with a first-half try from John Barclay.
Twice the visitors went down to 14-men, the first time after only six minutes when Rory Pitman saw yellow for a high tackle on wing David Smith. That allowed Halfpenny to kick the home side in front.
Rhys Priestland brought the visitors level with a penalty before Matt Giteau lit up the contest with a wonderful individual try. Halfpenny bizarrely failed to add the simple conversion after the ball fell off its tee half-way through his run-up and the Scarlets picked the ball up to save two points.
The Scarlets then hit back with Barclay’s try after good approach work by Scott and Liam Williams, but straight from the restart Scarlets skipper Scott Williams took too long over a clearance and Maxime Mermoz charged down his kick and went under the posts.
Halfpenny added the extras and then swapped penalties with Priestland before the interval to give Toulon a slender 18-13 lead at the break.
Toulon put the Scarlets under fierce pressure at the beginning of the second period but were finding it difficult to break through the visitors’ defence. Hooker Emyr Phillips then became the second Scarlets player to be sent to the bin for using his hands on the floor after David Smith had made a dangerous break for Toulon.
But after going to touch with the penalty, Toulon lost the line-out and the Scarlets were able to clear. A lack of precision from the champions, allied to the dogged Scarlets defence, meant this was never the romp the Toulon fans had hoped for.
Halfpenny added a long-range penalty with 15 minutes remaining to settle home nerves and then came the Armitage short range special, complete with conversion. Phillips raced over in the left corner with the last move of the match to show what the Scarlets are capable of, but they now need to beat Leicester Tigers at home in Round 2 to stay in the hunt for a quarter-final place.
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