Parc y Scarlets will host its first ever European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final on Friday with Scarlets taking on La Rochelle.
The Scarlets face the challenge of a first European quarter-final 11 years exactly to the last time the region reached the knockout stages of the competition.
Having rested a number of the squad’s international players following the Six Nations campaign, head coach Wayne Pivac has called upon the experience of players like captain Ken Owens, Scotland captain John Barclay and scrum-half Gareth Davies for Friday evening’s clash.
Partnerships seen on the field for Wales in the recent Six Nations campaign return to action in a Scarlets jersey with Davies and Patchell at half-back, Hadleigh Parkes and Scott Williams in the centre and Paul Asquith joining international pairing Steff Evans and Leigh Halfpenny in the back three.
The all-international front-row of Rob Evans, Owens and Samson Lee are reunited with Tadhg Beirne and David Bulbring lining up at second-row. Aaron Shingler, James Davies and Barclay complete the set at the back of the pack.
Looking ahead to the game, head coach Pivac said: “It’s exciting. They (La Rochelle) move a lot of ball. It should make for a good spectacle. They’ve got some quality there with ex-All Blacks and across the board they have a lot of big men. They’re going to be a handful, we know that.
“We’re going to have to bring a very good game, not only in attack but also in defence. We’re working on being prepared whatever the weather throws at us.
“This is a big game. It’s a one-off game. I’m sure they’d have been working towards this. It’s difficult to get the team to peak week in week out. Putting yourself in position to play for silverware and they’ve done that, as we have.
“We have to muscle up, we have to bring the physicality and match them up front.”
Meanwhile, La Rochelle will be looking to follow up last week’s bonus-point win over Bordeaux-Begles when they run out at Parc y Scarlets.
The French side had been on a poor run of form in the Top 14 but have turned things around in recent rounds, winning their last two games.
They are, however, without injured duo Victor Vito and Jason Eaton, with Afa Amosa at number eight and Zeno Kieft and Levani Botia the flanks.
Alexi Bales and Jérémy Sinzelle are the half-backs as Tawera Kerr-Barlow settles for a place on the bench, with Pierre Aguillon alongside Arthur Retière in the midfield.
The teams:
Scarlets: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Paul Asquith, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 John Barclay, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Tadhg Beirne, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Ken Owens (c), 1 Rob Evans
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 Will Boyde, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Josh Macleod
La Rochelle: 15 Charles Bouldoire, 14 Vincent Rattez, 13 Arthur Retiere, 12 Pierre Aguillon, 11 Steeve Barry, 10 Jérémy Sinzelle, 9 Alexi Bales, 8 Afa Amosa, 7 Zeno Kieft, 6 Levani Botia, 5 Mathieu Tanguy, 4 Romain Sazy, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Pierre Bourgarit, 1 Dany Priso
Replacements: 16 Hikairo Forbes, 17 Kamaliele Tufele, 18 Mohamed Boughanmi, 19 Gregory Lamboley, 20 Kevin Gourdon, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Benjamin Noble, 23 Pierre Boudehent
Date: Friday, March 30
Venue: Parc y Scarlets
Kick-off: 17:30 local (16:30 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
Television match official: David Grashoff (England)
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