# 2018–19 Scarlets season

The 2018–19 season was the 15th season in the history of the Scarlets, a Welsh regional rugby union side based in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. In this season, they competed in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. This season, Welsh internationals Scott Williams and Aled Davies, Scottish international John Barclay and Irishman Tadhg Beirne were high-profile departures, while new recruits included internationals Kieron Fonotia, Uzair Cassiem and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.

## Pre-season and friendlies

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 18 August 2018 | Bristol Bears | H | 28–19 | Tries: Blommetjies (2), T. Lewis, Penalty try Conversions: D. Jones (3) | |
| 24 August 2018 | Bath | A | 12–45 | Tries: Patchell, Kruger Conversion: Halfpenny | |

## Pro 14
### Fixtures

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Table position |
| 1 September 2018 | Ulster | A | 13–15 | Try: Patchell 7' c Conversion: Patchell 8' Penalties: D. Jones (2) 55', 62' | 11,822 | 3rd |
| 8 September 2018 | Leinster | H | 23–21 | Tries: Owens 11' c, G. Davies 68' c Conversions: Halfpenny (2) 12', 69' Penalties: Halfpenny (3) 34', 50', 63' | 7,258 | 5th |
| 15 September 2018 | Benetton Rugby | H | 38–29 | Tries: G. Davies (2) 4' c, 34' m, Fonotia 11' m, McNicholl 59' c, Kennedy 63' c, Prydie 80' c Conversions: Halfpenny (4) 4', 60', 64', 80+2' | 7,180 | 1st |
| 22 September 2018 | Connacht | A | 20–33 | Tries: McNicholl 29' c, Prydie 72' c Conversions: Halfpenny (2) 29', 73' Penalties: Halfpenny (2) 9', 20' | 5,839 | 3rd |
| 29 September 2018 | Southern Kings | H | 54–14 | Tries: Jo. Davies (2) 9' c, 24' c, Asquith 15' c, Nicholas 42' c, D. Davis 58' c, Gardiner 65' m, S. Evans 72' c, Hardy 80' c Conversions: Patchell (5) 10', 16', 24', 43', 59', O'Brien (2) 74', 80+1' | 7,529 | 2nd |
| 6 October 2018 | Ospreys | H | 20–17 | Tries: McNicholl 15' c, Patchell 56' c Conversions: Halfpenny (2) 16', 57' Penalties: Halfpenny 40+2', 50' | 12,012 | 2nd |
| 26 October 2018 | Southern Kings | A | 41–34 | Tries: D. Hughes 27' c, Boyde 39' m, Nicholas 41' c, Kruger 63' c, Hardy 72' c, T. Davies 77' m Conversions: D. Jones (4) 28', 42', 63', 73' Penalty: D. Jones 16' | 2,473 | 2nd |
| 2 November 2018 | Edinburgh | A | 21–31 | Tries: M. Williams 14' c, Asquith 38' c, McNicholl 49' c Conversions: D. Jones (3) 15', 39', 50' | 5,037 | 2nd |
| 23 November 2018 | Ulster | H | 29–12 | Tries: Kruger 25' c, Hardy 36' c, Fonotia 39' m, Prydie 60' c Conversions: D. Jones (3) 26', 36', 62' Penalty: D. Jones 18' | 7,788 | 2nd |
| 1 December 2018 | Glasgow Warriors | A | 20–29 | Tries: Jo. Davies 46' m, S. Evans 68' m, Blommetjies 74' c Conversion: Patchell 76' Penalty: Patchell 6' | 7,351 | 2nd |
| 22 December 2018 | Ospreys | A | 12–19 | Penalties: Patchell (3) 5', 10', 26', D. Jones 71' | 13,251 | 2nd |
| 29 December 2018 | Cardiff Blues | H | 5–34 | Try: McNicholl 11' m | 10,622 | 4th |
| 5 January 2019 | Dragons | H | 22–13 | Tries: Nicholas 56' m, Hidalgo-Clyne 74' m Penalties: D. Jones (4) 3', 11', 37', 40+1 | 8,167 | 4th |
| 25 January 2019 | Leinster | A | 17–22 | Tries: Hardy (2) 51' c, 73' c Conversions: D. Jones 52', 74' Penalty: D. Jones 59' | 15,007 | 4th |
| 16 February 2019 | Benetton Rugby | A | 19–25 | Tries: Hardy 18' c', McNicholl (2) 35' m, 57' c Conversions: D. Jones 20', Patchell 58' | 3,100 | 5th |
| 24 February 2019 | Cheetahs | H | 43–21 | Tries: Cassiem 2' c, McNicholl 8' c, Fonotia 12' c, Macleod 19', Wyn Jones 42' c, Asquith 68' m Conversions: D. Jones 3', Halfpenny (4) 9', 13', 20', 43' Penalty: Halfpenny 55' | 7,200 | 5th |
| 2 March 2019 | Munster | H | 10–6 | Try: Nicholas 11' c Conversion: Halfpenny 12' Penalty: Halfpenny48' | 8,032 | 3rd |
| 22 March 2019 | Cardiff Blues | A | 17–41 | Tries: R. Evans (2) 53' c, 66' m, Nicholas 77' Conversion: Halfpenny 54' | 12,000 | 5th |
| 6 April 2019 | Edinburgh | H | 12–20 | Tries: G. Davies 10' c, Jo. Davies 24' m Conversion: Halfpenny 11' | 8,733 | 5th |
| 13 April 2019 | Zebre | H | 42–0 | Tries: Cassiem (2) 12' c, 72' c, Parkes 35' c, McNicholl 59' c, Hardy 74' c, Nicholas 76' c Conversions: Halfpenny (6) 13', 36', 60', 72', 75', 76' | 8,356 | 5th |
| 27 April 2019 | Dragons | A | 32-34 | Tries: Nicholas 18' c, McNicholl (2) 25' m, 63' c, G. Davies 29' m, Jo. Davies 60' m Conversions: Halfpenny (2) 9', 65' Penalty: Halfpenny 72' | 51,297 | 4th |

#### Champions Cup play-off

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 18 May 2019 | Ospreys | A | 10-21 | Try: Jo. Davies 33' c Conversion: Halfpenny 35' Penalty: Halfpenny 13' | 8,489 |

### Table
#### Conference B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | PD | BP | Pts |
| 3 | Benetton | 21 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 474 | 431 | +43 | 9 | 57 |
| 4 | Scarlets | 21 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 510 | 470 | +40 | 12 | 52 |
| 5 | Edinburgh | 21 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 431 | 436 | −5 | 11 | 51 |

## Rugby Champions Cup
### Fixtures

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Table position |
| 13 October 2018 | Racing 92 | H | 13–14 | Tries: G. Davies 52' m, McNicholl 57' m Penalty: Halfpenny 9' | 8,064 | 3rd |
| 19 October 2018 | Leicester Tigers | A | 27-45 | Tries: G. Davies 14' c, S. Evans 52' c, Thomson 59' c Penalties: Halfpenny (3) 15', 52', 60' Penalties: Halfpenny (2) 28', 39' | 18.832 | 4th |
| 7 December 2018 | Ulster | H | 24–25 | Tries: S. Evans (2) 25' c, 60' c, D. Davis 79' c Conversions: Patchell (2) 26', 61, D. Jones 79' Penalty: Patchell 1' | 7,421 | 4th |
| 14 December 2018 | Ulster | A | 15–30 | Tries: Jo. Davies 48' c, Prydie 77' m Conversion: Patchell 49' Penalty: Patchell 38' | 12,124 | 4th |
| 12 January 2019 | Leicester Tigers | H | 33–10 | Tries: R. Evans (2) 25' m, 46' c, Owens 36' c, McNicholl 49' c, S. Evans 63' c Conversions: D. Jones 36', 48', 50', 64' | 8,087 | 3rd |
| 19 January 2019 | Racing 92 | A | 33–46 | Tries: S. Evans 21' c, McNicholl (2) 45' c, 75' c Conversions: D. Jones (2) 22', 45', Hidalgo-Clyne 76' Penalties: D. Jones (4) 2', 19', 40', 50' | 14,418 | 3rd |

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Racing 92 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 196 | 121 | +75 | 6 | 26 |
| 2 | Ulster | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 131 | 128 | +3 | 2 | 22 |
| 3 | Scarlets | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 145 | 170 | −25 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Leicester Tigers | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 115 | 168 | −53 | 3 | 7 |

## Statistics

(+ in the Apps column denotes substitute appearance, positions listed are the ones they have started a game in during the season)
| Pos. | Name | Pro 14 | Pro 14 | Pro 14 | Pro 14 | Pro 14 | Pro 14 | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Try | Con | Pen | Drop | Pts | Apps | Try | Con | Pen | Drop | Pts | Apps | Try | Con | Pen | Drop | Pts | | |
| FB | Clayton Blommetjies | 3+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FB | Leigh Halfpenny | 10 | 0 | 18 | 16 | 0 | 78 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 19 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 |
| FB/WG | Morgan Williams | 1+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| WG/FB | Johnny McNicholl | 20 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 25 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 1 | 0 |
| WG | Tom Prydie | 9+2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12+2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| WG | Steff Evans | 3+4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 9+4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| WG | Ioan Nicholas | 13+3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14+4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| CE/WG | Paul Asquith | 10+5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10+9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| CE | Steffan Hughes | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CE | Kieron Fonotia | 14+2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16+2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| CE | Jonathan Davies | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| CE/FH | Hadleigh Parkes | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FH/FB | Rhys Patchell | 7+6 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 9+6 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| FH | Dan Jones | 13+4 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 58 | 3+3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 16+7 | 0 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 84 | 0 | 0 |
| FH | Angus O'Brien | 0+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| SH | Sam Hidalgo-Clyne | 4+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4+12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| SH | Gareth Davies | 9+2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15+2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| SH | Kieran Hardy | 8+8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8+9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| SH | Jonathan Evans | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| N8 | Uzair Cassiem | 9+4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11+5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| N8/FL | Josh Macleod | 12+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FL/N8 | Blade Thomson | 8+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FL/N8 | Will Boyde | 10+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FL | James Davies | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FL | Dan Davis | 7+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9+6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| FL | Tom Phillips | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| LK/FL | Ed Kennedy | 8+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| LK/FL | Lewis Rawlins | 4+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| LK/FL | Tom Price | 2+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LK | Steve Cummins | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LK | David Bulbring | 11+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| LK | Jake Ball | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LK | Josh Helps | 5+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HK/N8 | Ken Owens | 11+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| HK | Ryan Elias | 6+8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8+10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HK | Marc Jones | 4+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HK | Dafydd Hughes | 1+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| HK | Taylor Davies | 0+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Werner Kruger | 11+10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11+14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Rob Evans | 6+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9+2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Simon Gardiner | 0+9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Phil Price | 8+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Samson Lee | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| PR | Wyn Jones | 7+7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10+10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| PR | Dylan Evans | 0+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PR | Javan Sebastian | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Stats accurate as of match played 18 May 2019

## Transfers
### In

| Date confirmed | Pos. | Name | From |
| 29 November 2017 | CE | Kieron Fonotia | Ospreys |
| 27 February 2018 | LK | Blade Thomson | Hurricanes |
| 20 March 2018 | N8 | Uzair Cassiem | Cheetahs |
| 10 April 2018 | FB | Clayton Blommetjies | Cheetahs |
| 1 May 2018 | SH | Sam Hidalgo-Clyne | Edinburgh |
| 1 May 2018 | SH | Kieran Hardy | Jersey Reds |
| 15 May 2018 | FH | Angus O'Brien | Dragons |
| 15 May 2018 | FL | Ed Kennedy | Randwick |
| 15 May 2018 | LK | Matthew Davies | Neath |
| 24 August 2018 | HK | Marc Jones | Sale Sharks |

### Out

| Date confirmed | Pos. | Name | To |
| 3 October 2017 | LK | Tadhg Beirne | Munster |
| 17 November 2017 | FL | John Barclay | Edinburgh |
| 29 November 2017 | CE | Scott Williams | Ospreys |
| 4 December 2017 | SH | Aled Davies | Ospreys |
| 26 February 2018 | N8 | Jack Condy | Retired |
| 13 April 2018 | WG | Tom Grabham | Retired |
| 14 April 2018 | HK | Emyr Phillips | Retired |
| 29 April 2018 | FB | Tom Williams | Unattached |
| 23 January 2019 | PR | Rhys Fawcett | Dragons (loan) |
| 14 March 2019 | SH | Sam Hidalgo-Clyne | Harlequins (loan) |
| 9 April 2019 | FB | Clayton Blommetjies | Leicester Tigers (loan) |