Sad end to a sorry week for Scarlets

Jan 21 2008 by Phil Blanche, Western Mail

Scarlets 0-41 Clermont

IT was a sad end to a sorry week which began with Dwayne Peel confirming his departure and ended with another humiliating Heineken Cup defeat.

In between, Peel’s half-back partner Stephen Jones was the subject of a significant offer from Biarritz and Regan King was ruled out of this final pool game at Stradey Park.

This morning, as the dust settles on the region’s sixth successive defeat in this season’s top tier of European rugby, the Scarlets face an uncertain period.

With a new stadium awaiting their arrival and with ambitious plans already in place, the Scarlets should be looking forward to the remainder of this season and the beginning of next.

Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is far removed from that idyllic notion.

Coaching director Phil Davies put on a brave face as his senior players began, and in Peel’s case, concluded talks with clubs as far afield as Sale and Biarritz, but in the wake of Saturday’s record defeat there was no disguising the deep-seated pain.

As captain Simon Easterby admitted, “Things haven’t gone our way this season and at the moment we are hurting.

“Fortunately we have a break now. We will spend that time rebuilding our confidence and making sure that we are ready for our next game in February.”

The writing was on the wall for the Scarlets when Jones withdrew after suffering a back spasm during warm-up.

With talk of his possible departure to Biarritz rife, his absence caused tongues to wag. However, chief executive Stuart Gallacher confirmed that Jones had been forced to pull out after breaking down in pain before, during and after the pre-match runaround.

Gallacher said, “When he arrived he went into spasm and the same thing happened during warm-up. We had no option but to replace him.”

In contrast to the Scarlets’ recent demise, Clermont were in defiant mood and desperate to keep alive their faint chances of reaching the last eight.

Their ineptitude in the second half against Munster eight days ago and their decision to send a shadow team to Ireland for the first game between the two teams, has clearly backfired.

Still, on this occasion, there were no slip-ups once they had taken control at forward where the Scarlets were second best.

Their early joy came at a sixth-minute line-out where the Scarlets were powerless to match their strength and driving power.

Lois Jacquet leapt highest to claim Mario Ledesma’s delivery and, after taking the ball to within six inches, Jacquet returned the compliment for his hooker to score.

Referee George Clancy was keen to refer the touchdown to his television match official, but the word came back that Ledesma had clearly scored. Brock James converted and continued to dictate from pivot as his forwards guaranteed a quality service.

They mauled particularly well, dominated the set-piece and displayed a cutting edge which had previously exposed both Munster and London Wasps.

Desperate conditions were a justified excuse on this occasion for some poor handling in open play, but with the Scarlets cursing their luck after turning over decent possession on halfway Clermont struck again.

Ledesma’s delivery to a 27th-minute line-out was perfect, Julien Bonnaire’s catch was simple and Jacquet finished with aplomb.

As hard as the Scarlets tried, they were lambs to the slaughter. Lacking bulk in their front five, they came off second best in all but a handful of combative situations. They posed little or no threat when they cleared from the breakdown.

Having lost Jones before the game, the loss to a hip injury of stand-in Ceiron Thomas hardly assisted their bid.

Gavin Evans stepped into the breach from centre, Dafydd James assumed a familiar role in the midfield and Darren Daniel came onto the wing.

A James penalty three minutes into the second half improved Clermont’s healthy position and, as hard as the Scarlets tried to rescue a near impossible situation, they were simply unable to make any significant headway.

They leaked a third try, after 46 minutes, when full-back Anthony Floch kicked ahead for James to chase and score.

The Australian pivot, whose controlling influence had been a key before half-time, converted and Clermont were home..

While Matthew Rees was in the bin, Clermont increased their lead as Floch cut inside Darren Daniel for the bonus-point try before Elvis Vermeulen and Floch compounded home misery.