“I am expecting the hardest game of the season here at Parc y Scarlets”

Rob Lloyd News

Scarlets will look to take a huge step towards the European Challenge Cup knockout stages when they take on French giants Toulon at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday night (8.00).

We caught up with Wales international back-rower Aaron Shingler, man of the match in the agonising 17-16 defeat in Toulon, for his thoughts on the pool showdown between two sides who know plenty about each other.

Aaron,  it’s crunch time in the pool this weekend

AS: “We are in a position where we have to win and win the following week as well in London Irish. This is a massive game for us.

“We felt it was a missed opportunity for us out in Toulon but that’s just the way things go sometimes; a couple of mistakes, a red card in the first half. We were just not quite good enough to finish the job off.

“It is going to be a physical game, they have a lot of good athletes and I am expecting the hardest game of the season here at Parc y Scarlets.

“But we will go into the match with plenty of confidence, our home form is very good and hopefully we can continue that.”

What’s it like with all the competition in the Scarlets back row these days?

AS: “The squad is bigger than it has ever been and the boys who have come in have done really well. As a player you know you can’t afford to play badly, there are a lot of good players in each position.

“I said to the coaches in the first game I played that I felt under pressure because I knew who else is here. Even though I have been here a while now, nothing is guaranteed.”

You played in the win over Toulon two years ago, what are your memories of that night?

AS: “It was a great occasion, a big crowd and, of course, we got the win. It was the same in the quarter-finals against La Rochelle. That is what we want again this year. 

“Toulon will be coming here with some big names, I don’t think that will ever change. It is going to be as tough as ever.”