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Harlequins and Scarlets head into their opening encounter knowing they have been drawn in one of the toughest groups in this year's Heineken Cup. - 08/10/2013 10:57
Harlequins and Scarlets head into their opening encounter knowing they have been drawn in one of the toughest groups in this year’s Heineken Cup.
French giants ASM Clermont Auvergne and Racing Metro complete Pool 4, with Clermont looking to build on last season’s final defeat to RC Toulon and Racing having added even more quality to their star-studded squad during the summer.
Quins have unhappy memories of April’s quarter-final loss to Munster at the Twickenham Stoop but the Scarlets haven’t reached the knockout stages for seven seasons. The Welsh region were semi-finalists in 2000, 2002 (as Llanelli) and 2007 but are substantial underdogs to match that feat this time around given what lies ahead in the Pool.
Their English opponents have claimed European glory on three occasions in the Amlin Challenge Cup and Shield and won their domestic crown in 2012, although they have never been past the last eight in the continent’s top competition.
Quins are yet to win at home this season, having been beaten by Northampton and Saracens at The Stoop and they head into Saturday’s fixture on the back of a disappointing defeat at London Irish last time out. Conor O’Shea’s men have beaten both Worcester and London Wasps in the league, though, and have picked up three bonus points from their first five games.
It’s been a similar story for the Scarlets, with Simon Easterby’s side also winning two and losing three at the start of the season. They did win on the road at Edinburgh in Round 4 of the PRO12 but were edged out by league leaders Glasgow on home soil last weekend.
Scarlets, Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies says they will travel in high spirits, though, and he will be hoping they can draw on their stunning opening round win at Northampton two seasons ago as they go in search of an upset.
“Hopefully we can draw on our experiences from games like that and use it as positively as we can,” said Davies. “People wrote us off completely in that game but we went up there and got a bonus point win.
“The most important thing is to go up there with the attitude of doing a job and concentrating on your own performance. We’ve done it before and I’m sure we can do it again this year.”
Match Facts
Saturday, 12 October 2013; 15:40, Twickenham Stoop; Sky Sports
Referee: John Lacey (Ire)
Assistant Ref: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ire) Assistant Ref: Olly Hodges (Ire)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (Ire) Citing Commissioner: Jean-Claude Legendre (Fra)
- These two clubs met in the pool stage of the 2008/09 tournament, with Harlequins claiming two narrow victories (29-22 and 29-24).
- Overall, Quins have six wins, two draws and seven losses against Welsh opposition in the Heineken Cup.
- Scarlets have lost their last three and five of their last six matches against English clubs in the tournament.
- The Welsh outfit lost all six of their matches in the pool stage of last season’s tournament.
The Scarlets claimed their first Heineken Cup win in seven games to overcome Harlequins in a thrilling Pool 4 tie. - 12/10/2013 18:12
The Scarlets claimed their first Heineken Cup win in seven games to overcome Harlequins in a thrilling Pool 4 tie.
Rhodri Williams, Scott Williams and Jordan Williams all crossed for Simon Easterby’s side at the Twickenham Stoop.
Mike Brown scored two tries for the Aviva Premiership side, but the Welsh region held on to record a famous win.
The Scarlets had lost nine of their previous 10 Heineken Cup fixtures including all six pool matches last season, but you would not have believed that after watching the opening 40 minutes of action in South West London.
Easterby’s men were ahead as early as the seventh minute when scrum-half Williams scorched over. Rhys Priestland was at the centre of the move, linking up with Kristian Phillips before his inside pass sent Williams over in the corner. The Wales fly-half added the conversion to put the Scarlets on the front foot.
Priestland nudged the visitors further ahead with two quick-fire penalties on 10 and 15 minutes as Harlequins seemed shell-shocked by the lightning start.
Nick Evans got the Londoners up and running with a routine penalty and they finally found a spark on the half hour mark when the lively Brown, returning Danny Care and Tom Williams combined. But, rather than backing himself to finish in the left-hand corner, the wing looked for the inside pass and Jonathan Davies covered well to avert the danger.
Yet Brown made no mistake two minutes later. Liam Williams was deceived by Evans’ chip over the top and the England full-back capitalised to race in to the left of the posts before Evans’ conversion reduced the deficit to three points.
However, the Scarlets responded on the stroke of half-time courtesy of Scott Williams’ solo effort. Liam Williams started the move by gathering a high ball and bulldozing his way through three tackles. Still in their own half, the Scarlets spread the ball wide and Williams dummied to beat Brown and galloped home for a wonderful score. Priestland converted and the away side had a 10-point advantage at the interval.
But the visitors were dealt a blow early in the second period when prop Samson Lee was yellow carded for a stamp on Danny Care’s face. Evans immediately capitalised with a fine drop goal before Priestland nudged the Scarlets further clear with two penalties.
Yet there was still plenty of life left in this thrilling contest. Evans added two more penalties before the Scarlets grabbed a third sensational try. With little space to work in, Williams showed superb footwork to dance along the touchline before cutting inside Brown to score.
But Harlequins kept fighting and Brown scored his second try of the afternoon to keep the tie alive and it needed an excellent tackle by Liam Williams to deny Paul Sackey a try with two minutes remaining as the Scarlets held on.
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