Skipper Josh Macleod says his Scarlets players will throw everything at their Investec Champions Cup challenge as they prepare to take on Europe’s elite – starting on Saturday night against Bristol Bears. (8pm ko).
The West Walians are back in the top tier tournament for the first time in three years and have been handed a group stacked with stellar quality.
First up, it’s the Gallagher Prem’s free-running Bears at Parc y Scarlets, followed by a trip across the channel to take on defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles and their glittering array of French internationals.
January sees the Top 14’s surprise package Section Paloise arrive in Llanelli, followed by an away day in the East Midlands to take on last season’s beaten finalists Northampton Saints, Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman, Henry Pollock et al.
“It isn’t the easiest is it?” smiles Josh, when questioned about the strength of the pool in one of a round of media interviews at the official tournament launch at Twickenham’s Lensbury Resort.
“One of our mantras as a team is ‘here to compete’.
“We are a team who goes out and fights for the jersey, fights for our history, fights for the club. We have a rich history in this tournament, four semi-finals, there is the pedigree there.
“As professional rugby players you want to go toe to toe with the best and we are not far off that with two of last year’s finalists in our group, as well as a team like Bristol first up and Pau who are flying high in the Top14 at the moment.
“I am a realist, we don’t have the squad depths of Bordeaux, Saints and other teams in the tournament, but we do have a lot of heart and fight and if our first team is available, fit and firing we can compete with the best of them on our day.”
Josh added: “I have been involved in a few big European nights over the years like La Rochelle at home when we reached the semi-finals in 2018. For a lot of the squad, especially the younger boys, it is going to be a new experience, which may not be a bad thing. I remember, when I started my career, I didn’t really know what to expect, I do remember just going out there running around with a smile on my face enjoying the big stage, hopefully the boys take it in their stride.”
Looking forward to the opener against the Bears, Josh added: “We’re back in the Champions Cup, Saturday night under the lights on home soil, a bit of Anglo-Welsh rivalry as well, what’s not to like?
“Bristol are a quality team who like to play, who like to throw it around and do it week in week out against the Prem sides. It is going to be a stern test and then it is a case of going to Bordeaux to take on the champions.
“We have to throw everything at it.
“We are proud to be flying the flag for Welsh rugby, we worked hard last season to get in this competition and we want to make the most of it.
“We want to make sure that teams come off the field knowing they have been in a game.”
Josh added: “When I go into the kitman’s room there are photos of all these great wins in Europe; that big win out in Toulouse in 2007 stands out. I was a young pup then, having only just picked up a rugby ball. Our head coach Dwayne played in that game and he is always reminding us of that one, hopefully we can create some history of our own.”