Scarlets conjure memorable European night to restore Welsh pride

Scarlets were jumping for joy after reaching the Champions Cup quarter-finals

Epic European rugby nights in Wales have been in short supply in recent years.

But Scarlets provided one of the most memorable occasions on Saturday night when they defeated three-times champions Toulon in Llanelli and became the first Welsh team in six years to make the Champions Cup quarter-finals.

The Welsh team's satisfaction levels only rose on Sunday when remaining round six games confirmed Scarlets will host La Rochelle in the last eight between Thursday, 29 March and Sunday, 1 April.

It will be another major occasion under coach Wayne Pivac, whose reign has seen the west Wales region transformed since his arrival in 2014, with some tipping him to replace fellow New Zealander Warren Gatland as Wales boss after the 2019 World Cup.

First there was the 2016-17 Pro 12 league title, now European qualification for a team who have become fearless in the face of teams with bigger budgets and bigger names.

What a night

The wonderful celebration scenes in Llanelli after the Toulon win evoked memories of famous European nights at their old Stradey Park home, when they defeated the likes of Munster and Toulouse.

That had not been replicated at their new base that the region moved to in November 2008, until this special evening in front of a crowd of 14,476.

"This was a very important night for this ground," said Pivac. "It was crucial for the future to come away with the win.

"It was magnificent to see a full house which provided such a great atmosphere.

"To see all the fans and what it meant to them when that final whistle went was special."

An almost capacity crowd of 14,476 turned up to Parc y Scarlets for the game with Toulon

Captain Ken Owens has seen events at both stadiums, having been at the Scarlets for more than a decade.

"I haven't felt like this since 2007 when we were last in the quarter-finals," said the Wales and British and Irish Lions hooker.

"This victory is right up there with my early years and games against Munster and Toulouse.

"It has been tough with the move from Stradey. We have not been as successful as we would like over the last 10 years to attract the crowds.

"The crowds are up this year and hopefully we have inspired the region and they keep backing us."

Scarlets announced their return to success by winning last season's final Pro12 tournament before the competition expanded to become the Pro14.

Now they have reached the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition for the first time since 2007.

"We have come a long way in the last three years," said Owens.

"We set ourselves up in the league and Europe has been on the backburner.

"Winning the league was huge, but you judge yourself on Europe and this year we have targeted that a bit more."

Almost dead and buried

Scarlets achieved their European success the hard way, winning their final four pool matches after losing their first two group games against Bath and Toulon.

The dream almost ended in Llanelli in December 2017 against 14-man Benetton, when Scarlets were almost defeated at home by the Italians.

Minutes away from European elimination, only late tries from Steff Evans and Paul Asquith saved the Scarlets' blushes and kick-started the Champions Cup campaign.

Away victories at Benetton and Bath followed before that final Toulon success.

Scarlets captain Ken Owens: "You don't win matches without a good defence and that is what has got us through."

"After a slow start, it has been a fantastic effort to win all four games, which we had to do," said Pivac.

"It was not only the two defeats, but the Benetton game at home, being down 28-21 with a few minutes to go.

"We look back at that and the efforts of Steff and Paul that kept our hopes alive. The boys have capitalised on the opportunities after that.

"People had been bigging us up as potential favourites for the group, so the first couple of weekends were so disappointing.

"So where we have come from then to over the last couple of weekends has been fantastic."

Brilliance and resilience

Scarlets have been lauded for attacking brilliance, with Pivac and assistant coach Stephen Jones encouraging players to express themselves.

This was in evidence during the wonderful 35-17 win at Bath, typified by a stunning sidestep from Scarlets' Irish lock Tadhg Beirne which deceived Lions wing Anthony Watson and provided one of the qualifying campaign's memorable moments.

But the Toulon triumph also demonstrated the dogged defence under the tutelage of Byron Hayward.

"Everybody goes on about our attack and how we express ourselves and that's important," said Owens.

"You don't win matches though without a good defence and that is what has got us through."

Captain marvel

Every great team needs an inspirational on-field leader and the Scarlets have that in Owens, who shrugged off a leg injury against Toulon to battle on.

"He got stood on or stamped, probably accidentally, and it affected a nerve for a few minutes and he couldn't move his leg," said Pivac.

"He shook that off and led by example. For two weeks in a row he has been flying out of the line and knocking big guys over.

"That is what we want from our skipper. It was a game when we needed our leader out there leading from the front and Ken did that."

In it to win it?

Reaching Europe's last eight is one thing, but the Scarlets won't be satisfied with that. If they beat La Rochelle, they will be away to either Leinster or Saracens in the semi-finals.

No Welsh team has won Europe's premier club competition, with the Cardiff club side - before Wales' switch to regional rugby - the only team to reach a final in January 1996, when they lost to Toulouse in the Heineken Cup.

"We have put ourselves in a good position and this is a special squad," said Owens.

"Are we good enough to win it?

"I don't know, but these players will always keep believing we can."

Capacity to host knock-out game

There is also relief in west Wales that Scarlets' home venue can host a last-eight game.

Parc y Scarlets will be able to host the quarter-final against La Rochelle, because while the stadium's 14,500 capacity falls below the minimum requirement of 15,000 for Champions Cup quarter-finals, the region can lift the capacity with temporary seats to above the required figure to 15,180.

European tournament officials have already investigated the situation and say they are "satisfied following preliminary discussions with Pro Rugby Wales a solution would be found to meet the requirement".