Rugby
Scarlets open the week at Exeter, then Llandovery and Parc y Scarlets
Three friendlies, then Cardiff at home on 26 September. The club has a deal to 2028. The WRU still wants four regions down to three.
The Scarlets go to Sandy Park on Saturday, 5 September, 3pm, for the first of three warm ups. Dragons come to Church Bank, Llandovery, on Friday 11 September, 7pm. Saracens are at Parc y Scarlets on Friday 18 September, 7.30pm. The United Rugby Championship then starts at home to Cardiff on Saturday 26 September. Early bird tickets for that one run to 13 September.
Nigel Davies is director of rugby on a two year deal after coming back mid last season when results fell away and the Champions Cup campaign died. Managing director Jon Daniels has already said a play off place would be the minimum. Last season ended with a 35-all draw against Dragons at home in May and a lot of lost Saturdays before that.
New faces in the pack include tighthead Chris Apoua from Moana Pasifika, 119 kilograms, signed in August, plus Corey Domachowski from Cardiff and hooker John McKee from Leinster. Cullen Grace, the All Black back rower, is in. Gareth Anscombe is back at fly half from Bayonne. Locks Harvey Cuckson, Alex Groves and Tom Allen add bulk. Home grown hooker Harry Thomas has re-signed. Centre Eddie James has committed again. Josh Macleod remains captain. Dwayne Peel is still listed as coach on the public record, with Aaron Dundon in as lead forwards coach from Leinster and Eamon O’Carroll arriving from St Helens for defence.
The row that hangs over every kick off
The Welsh Rugby Union is still pushing a cut from four professional sides to three from 2028. Cardiff and Dragons are being talked of as safe. Ospreys and Scarlets would fight for the last seat. On 13 July the Scarlets signed the Professional Rugby Agreement, last of the four clubs to do it, which keeps them playing until at least 2028. That is two seasons, not a settlement. Last autumn the Save Our Scarlets march walked to the first home game. The money since then has been described by the club as significant. It has not ended the argument in Cardiff.
Parc y Scarlets holds 14,870. Llanelli still treats Saturday night there as a town event. Taking the Dragons friendly to Church Bank is a nod to the north of the county and to Llandovery RFC. Clwb Carwyn for Saracens is already sold out. The Quinnell Lounge still has space.
The autumn that follows
After Cardiff come Dragons away on 3 October, Benetton at home on the 10th, then a South Africa trip to Stormers and Bulls at the end of the month. Europe this year is the Challenge Cup, pool 2 with Benetton, Sharks, Lyon, Castres and Newcastle. First European home date is mid October against Newcastle. Boxing Day is Ospreys away.
Daniels can call play offs the floor. The floor last year was not reached in any comfort. The new tightheads and the returned 10 will be judged on the Cardiff night, not on a friendly in Devon.
The Chronicle will carry the Exeter score, then the Church Bank side, then what Parc y Scarlets looks like when Saracens and Cardiff come in.