2007–08 Llanelli Scarlets season

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.

Llanelli Scarlets
2007–08 season
ChairmanStuart Gallacher
Head coachPhil Davies (until 30 April 2008)
Paul Moriarty (caretaker, since 30 April 2008)
Celtic League6th
EDF Energy CupGroup stage
Heineken CupGroup stage
Top try scorerLeague: Regan King (7)
All: Regan King (9)
Top points scorerLeague: Rhys Priestland (107)
All: Stephen Jones (128)
Highest home attendance10,739 vs Ospreys (27 December 2007)
Lowest home attendance5,923 vs Newport Gwent Dragons (1 September 2007)
← 2006–07 2008–09 →

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.

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
18 August 2007 Exeter Chiefs A 19–14 Tries: Daniel, Bater, John
Con: Priestland, C. Thomas
25 August 2007 Bath H 17–21 Tries: Daniel 2' c, King 32' c
Con: C. Thomas (2)
Pen: C. Thomas 44'

Celtic League
Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A		 Scorers Attendance League
position
1 September 2007 Newport Gwent Dragons H 23–30 Tries: Gar. Evans 44' c, I. Thomas 50' c
Con: C. Thomas (2)
Pen: C. Thomas (3) 20', 55', 65'		 5,923 4th
11 September 2007 Ospreys A 14–9 Try: Eustace 45' m
Pen: C. Thomas (3) 2', 64', 74'		 10,143 2nd
22 September 2007 Munster A 16–26 Try: Watkins 64' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland (3) 8', 35', 63'		 3,400 2nd
28 September 2007 Connacht H 34–11 Tries: King 36' c, Cooper 55' c, Stoddart 62' c, J. Davies 80+1' c
Con: Priestland (4)
Pen: Priestland (2) 27', 33'		 6,560 2nd
5 October 2007 Leinster A 52–23 Tries: Watkins 3' c, Bater 49' c, Edwards (2) 53' m, 59' c, King 56' c, Stoddart 80' c
Con: Priestland (5)
Pen: Priestland (4) 13', 22', 32', 51'		 9,439 2nd
12 October 2007 Ulster H 32–8 Tries: Watkins 22' c, Edwards 35' m, Manu 40' c, M. Jones 51' c
Con: Priestland (3)
Pen: Priestland (2) 18', 72'		 6,200 2nd
25 November 2007 Edinburgh A 17–27 Tries: King (3) 15' m, 38' c, 49' m
Con: Priestland		 1,638 2nd
27 December 2007 Ospreys H 17–12 Tries: G. Thomas 16' c, Brew 49' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones 48'		 10,739 4th
1 January 2008 Newport Gwent Dragons A 13–15 Try: Penalty try 33' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland (2) 6', 58'		 6,702 3rd
4 January 2008 Connacht A 18–20 Pen: Priestland (6) 14', 22', 49', 67', 73', 80' 1,681 4th
15 February 2008 Glasgow Warriors H 30–7 Tries: Cattle 24' c, King 36' m, 76' m, Priestland 50' m, I. Thomas 61' m
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland 13'		 6,190 2nd
29 February 2008 Ulster A 8–20 Try: Priestland 64' m
Pen: Priestland 39'		 8,869 2nd
21 March 2008 Cardiff Blues H 35–17 Tries: I. Thomas 11' m, Gav. Evans 21' c, Peel 57' c, James 73' c
Con: S. Jones (3)
Pen: S. Jones (3) 38', 54', 71'		 8,445 2nd
29 March 2008 Leinster H 10–24 Try: D. Jones 52' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones 16'		 7,407 4th
11 April 2008 Cardiff Blues A 26–35 Tries: Peel 4' c, J. Davies 6' c, M. Jones 52' m, Stoddart 54' c
Con: S. Jones (3)		 10,216 4th
18 April 2008 Glasgow Warriors A 23–25 Tries: Stoddart (2) 42' c, 53' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (3) 11', 33', 61'		 2,012 5th
3 May 2008 Munster H 23–24 Tries: James 28' c, Watkins 31' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (3) 6', 23', 57'		 7,020 6th
10 May 2008 Edinburgh H 12–29 Tries: Schwalger 14' c, James 77' m
Con: Priestland		 7,338 6th
Pos Club Pld W D L F A PD BP Pts
5Glasgow Warriors 181017340349−9446
6Llanelli Scarlets 187011403362+411139
7Ospreys 186111321255+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
Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Group
position
26 October 2007 Bristol A 11–18 Try: Stoddart 80+1' m
Pen: Priestland 4', S. Jones 43'		 7,139 3rd
2 November 2007 Leeds Carnegie H 59–19 Tries: D. Evans (2) 3' c, 67' c, Bater 10' c, M. Jones 16' c, Popham 38' c
I. Thomas 51' c, MacLeod 59' c, Easterby 64' c
Con: S. Jones (8)
Pen: S. Jones 26'		 7,672 2nd
1 December 2007 Saracens H 36–32 Tries: MacLeod 35' c, S. Jones 43' c, J. Davies 51' m, Gar. Evans 55' m
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones (4) 10', 16', 40', 62'		 6,625 2nd
Team Pld W D L F A BP Pts
Saracens 320112379412
Llanelli Scarlets 320110669311
Bristol 3111466906
Leeds Carnegie 30126011813

Heineken Cup
Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Group
position
11 November 2007 ASM Clermont Auvergne A 21–48 Tries: James 18' c, Peel 52' c, King 54' c
Con: S. Jones (3)		 13,000 4th
17 November 2007 London Wasps H 17–33 Tries: Easterby 24' c, M. Jones 79' c
Con: S. Jones (2)
Pen: S. Jones 34'		 9,557 4th
8 December 2007 Munster H 16–29 Try: King 24' c
Con: Priestland
Pen: Priestland (3) 20', 51', 59'		 10,456 4th
16 December 2007 Munster A 13–22 Try: S. Jones 11' c
Con: S. Jones
Pen: S. Jones (2) 49', 63'		 13,200 4th
13 January 2008 London Wasps A 7–40 Try: Manu 33' c
Con: Priestland		 8,173 4th
19 January 2008 ASM Clermont Auvergne H 0–41 6,491 4th
Team Pld W D L TF PF PA PD BP Pts
Ireland Munster (6) 64021314895+53319
France Clermont 640222189128+61319
England London Wasps 640219152127+25218
Wales Llanelli Scarlets 6006874213−13900

Squad statistics
Pos. Name Magners
League		 EDF Energy
Cup		 Heineken
Cup		 Total Discipline
ATCPDPts ATCPDPts ATCPDPts ATCPDPts
FBWales Garan Evans 710005 110005 300000 11200010 00
FBWales Morgan Stoddart 16500025 210005 500000 23600030 10
WGWales Nathan Brew 1010005 000000 200000 1210005 00
WGWales Darren Daniel 600000 000000 300000 900000 20
WGWales Dan Evans 200000 1200010 000000 3200010 00
WGWales Dafydd James 9300015 200000 210000 13400020 00
WGWales Mark Jones 6200010 310005 510005 14400020 20
CEWales Jonathan Davies 6200010 110005 300000 10300015 00
CEWales Gavin Evans 1410005 200000 500000 2110005 00
CENew Zealand Regan King 16700035 300000 4200010 23900045 00
CEWales Matthew Watkins 13400020 100000 400000 18400020 00
FHWales Stephen Jones 601311059 31106043 3163026 12229200128 00
FHWales Rhys Priestland 13217210107 100103 3023013 17219250123 00
FHWales Ceiron Thomas 9026022 000000 400000 13026022 00
SHWales Gavin Cattle 1410005 100000 200000 1710005 00
SHWales Liam Davies 900000 000000 300000 1200000 00
SHWales Dwayne Peel 6200010 300000 410005 13300015 00
PRWales Ben Broster 500000 000000 200000 700000 10
PRScotland Bruce Douglas 900000 200000 300000 1400000 00
PRWales Phil John 1200000 100000 000000 1300000 00
PRFiji Deacon Manu 1210005 300000 610005 21200010 10
PRWales Iestyn Thomas 15300015 210005 600000 23400020 10
HKWales Daniel George 100000 000000 100000 200000 00
HKEngland James Hayter 800000 200000 500000 1500000 00
HKWales Ken Owens 900000 000000 000000 900000 00
HKWales Matthew Rees 700000 200000 300000 1200000 10
HKSamoa Mahonri Schwalger 710005 000000 100000 810005 00
LKWales Vernon Cooper 1410005 200000 400000 2000000 20
LKWales Dominic Day 300000 000000 100000 400000 00
LKEngland Adam Eustace 1110005 300000 600000 2010005 10
LKScotland Scott MacLeod 1000000 3200010 600000 19200010 00
LKWales Lou Reed 1000000 000000 000000 1000000 10
FLWales James Bater 1510005 110005 300000 19200010 20
FLIreland Simon Easterby 900000 310005 510005 17200010 10
FLWales Johnathan Edwards 5300015 100000 000000 6300015 00
FLWales Dafydd Jones 1610005 200000 400000 2210005 00
FLWales Gavin Thomas 610005 200000 500000 1310005 00
FLWales Josh Turnbull 000000 000000 000000 000000 00
N8Wales Alix Popham 600000 210005 500000 1310005 20
N8Wales Nathan Thomas 1400000 000000 400000 1800000 00

Transfers

In
Date Pos. Name From
17 May 2007 PR Wales Ben Broster Saracens
1 June 2007 WG Wales Nathan Brew Newport Gwent Dragons
1 June 2007 LK England Adam Eustace Gloucester
19 June 2007 PR Scotland Bruce Douglas Border Reivers
20 July 2007 HK England James Hayter Harlequins
16 January 2008 HK Samoa Mahonri Schwalger Wellington Lions[1]

Out
Date Pos. Name To
1 June 2007 SH England Clive Stuart-Smith Exeter Chiefs
1 June 2007 PR Wales John Davies Retired
4 June 2007 PR New Zealand Craig Dunlea Exeter Chiefs
5 June 2007 PR Wales Hugh Gustafson Newport Gwent Dragons
14 June 2007 FB Wales Barry Davies Brive
21 June 2007 LK Tonga Inoke Afeaki Grenoble
22 June 2007 LK Wales Adam Jones Newport Gwent Dragons
27 July 2007 FL Wales Jonathan Mills London Welsh
27 July 2007 HK Wales Aled Gravelle Waterloo

Loan out
Date from Date to Position Name To
18 December 2007 18 January 2008 LK Wales Lou Reed Rotherham[2]

References
  1. "Davies rules out King departure". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 January 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
  2. "Reed joins Rotherham in loan deal". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
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