2015–16 Scarlets season explained

Club:	Scarlets
Season:	2015–16
Manager:	Wayne Pivac
Mgrtitle:	Head coach
Chairman:	Nigel Short
Chrtitle:	Chairman
Manager2:	Darran Phillips
Mgrtitle2:	Chief executive
League:	Pro12
League Result:	5th
Cup1:	European Champions Cup
Cup1 Result:	Pool stage, 4th
League Try Scorer:	D. T. H. van der Merwe (7)
Try Scorer:	D. T. H. van der Merwe (8)
League Points Scorer:	Aled Thomas (114)
Points Scorer:	Aled Thomas (132)
Highest Attendance:	14,562 v Ospreys (26 December 2015)
Lowest Attendance:	5,504 v Zebre (29 November 2015)
Average Attendance:	7,290
Prevseason:	2014–15
Nextseason:	2016–17

The 2015–16 season was the 13th season in the history of the Scarlets, a Welsh rugby union regional side based in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. In this season, they competed in the Pro 12 and the European Champions Cup. It was head coach Wayne Pivac's second season in charge of the region, and Stephen Jones' first season as backs coach after joining from Wasps. In addition to this, Ioan Cunningham was promoted to forwards coach after being part of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets academy coaching team.

Pre-season and friendlies

Despite being a home game, the friendly against Bedford was played at Llandovery RFC's Church Bank instead of at Parc y Scarlets.

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
15 August 2015	Jersey	A	40–27	Tries: Price 27' c, J. Davies 33' m, A. Davies 38' c, Boyde 44' c, R. Williams 58' c, Nicholas 68' c Conversions: Thomas (2) 29', 39', D. Jones (3) 45', 59', 69'	1,477
21 August 2015	Newport Gwent Dragons	A	29–20	Tries: Owen 40' m, T. Williams 58' c, 74' c, D. Jones 72' c Conversions: S. Shingler 59', D. Jones (2) 73', 74' Penalty: S. Shingler 61'	4,154
29 August 2015	Bedford Blues	H	13–27	Try: T. Williams 36' c Conversion: S. Shingler 37' Penalties: S. Shingler (2) 4', 27'	713

Pro 12

Fixtures

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance	Table position
5 September 2015	Glasgow Warriors	A	16–10	Tries: A. Shingler 5' m, Parkes 21' m Penalties: D. Jones (2) 29', 55'	6,562	4th
12 September 2015	Ulster	H	22–12	Try: Parkes 45' c Conversion: D. Jones 46' Penalties: D. Jones (4) 2', 18', 24', 62' Thomas 80'	6,061	1st
4 October 2015	Zebre	A	20–8	Try: J. Davies 43' m Penalties: D. Jones (3) 26', 33', 47', S. Shingler (2) 64', 67'	2,000	1st
16 October 2015	Leinster	H	25–14	Tries: J. Davies 8' m, Van der Merwe (2) 32' c, 52' c Conversions: S. Shingler (2) 34', 53' Penalties: S. Shingler (2) 3', 61'	7,013	1st
23 October 2015	Munster	H	25–22	Tries: Van der Merwe 41' m, T. Williams 53' m Penalties: S. Shingler (5) 27', 40+1', 60', 77', 80+2'	6,466	1st
30 October 2015	Newport Gwent Dragons	H	25–15	Tries: J. Davies (2) 9' c, 65' m, John (2) 18' m, 58' m Conversion: Thomas 10' Penalties: Thomas 48'	6,952	1st
6 November 2015	Leinster	A	15–19	Tries: Parkes 3' c, Owen 24' m Conversion: D. Jones 4' Penalty: D. Jones 33'	14,743	2nd
29 November 2015	Zebre	H	20–12	Tries: Parkes 8' c, A. Davies 12' c Conversions Thomas (2) 9', 13' Penalty: Thomas 22'	5,504	2nd
5 December 2015	Treviso	A	22–20	Tries: Allen (2) 12' c, 52' c, Van der Merwe 27' m Conversions: Thomas 13', 53' Penalty: S. Shingler 77'	4,500	1st
26 December 2015	Ospreys	H	26–27	Tries: Barclay 11' c, A. Davies 35' c Conversions: Thomas (2) 12', 36' Penalties: Thomas (4) 18', 24', 43', 52'	14,568	1st
1 January 2016	Cardiff Blues	A	27–29	Tries: Owens 6' c, Van der Merwe 11' c, G. Davies 65' c Conversions: Thomas (3) 7', 12', 67' Penalties: Thomas (2) 17', 27'	11,720	1st
10 January 2016	Connacht	H	21–19	Tries: S. Evans 46' c, Collins 62' m Conversion: Thomas 47' Penalties: Thomas (2) 37', 44', S. Shingler 80'	5,888	1st
30 January 2016	Connacht	A	17–30	Tries: Van der Merwe 44' c, Owen 73' c Conversions: Thomas (2) 45', 74' Penalty: Thomas 43'	5,292	1st
12 February 2016	Edinburgh	H	22–21	Try: Allen 6' c Conversion: S. Shingler 7' Penalties: S. Shingler 18', Thomas (4) 25', 47', 54', 77'	5,569	4th
21 February 2016	Ulster	A	21–20	Tries: Collins (2) 4' m, 23' c Conversions: Thomas 24' Penalties: Thomas (3) 14', 46', 49'	15,201	3rd
28 February 2016	Edinburgh	A	23–24	Tries: Parkes 15' m, J. Davies 26' m, S. Evans 35' c Conversion: Thomas 36' Penalties: Thomas (2) 7', 14'	3,618	3rd
4 March 2016	Treviso	H	24–15	Tries: S. Evans (2) 14' c, 72' c, J. Davies 20' c Conversions: Thomas (2) 15', 20', D. Jones 73' Penalty: D. Jones 68'	5,237	3rd
26 March 2016	Ospreys	A	25–16	Try: Van der Merwe 30' c Conversion: D. Jones 31' Penalties: D. Jones (2) 7', 37', Thomas (4) 64', 68', 76', 80+1'	12,051	3rd
2 April 2016	Cardiff Blues	H	22–28	Try: Barclay 70' c Conversion: Thomas 71' Penalties: D. Jones (4) 14', 17', 29' 47', Thomas 55'	9,546	3rd
16 April 2016	Glasgow Warriors	H	10–46	Try: L. Williams 30' c Conversion: S. Shingler 31' Penalty: S. Shingler 2'	8,165	5th
30 April 2016	Newport Gwent Dragons	N	34–20	Tries: S. Williams 8' c, S. Shingler 13' c, S. Evans 45' c, G. Davies 75' c Conversions: S. Shingler (4) 10', 13', 46', 76' Penalties: S. Shingler (2) 24', 29'	68,262	5th
7 May 2016	Munster	A	15–31	Penalties: S. Shingler (5) 9', 21', 28', 37', 64'		5th

Table

width=30	Pos	Club	width=30	Pld	width=30	W	width=30	D	width=30	L	width=30	F	width=30	A	width=30	PD	width=30	BP	width=30	Pts
4	Ulster	22	14	0	8	488	307	+181	13	69
5	Scarlets	22	14	0	8	477	458	+19	7	63
6	Munster	22	13	0	9	459	417	+42	11	63

European Champions Cup

Fixtures

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance	Pool position
14 November 2015	Northampton Saints	A	11–15	Try: G. Davies 51' m Penalties: S. Shingler (2) 15', 38'	14,512	2nd
21 November 2015	Racing 92	H	12–29	Tries: A. Thomas 57' m, Rawlins 66' c Conversion: A. Thomas 66'	8,512	3rd
12 December 2015	Glasgow Warriors	A	6–43	Penalties: S. Shingler (2) 11', 46'	6,576	4th
19 December 2015	Glasgow Warriors	H	6–9	Penalties: A. Thomas (2) 54', 67'	5,767	4th
17 January 2016	Racing 92	A	14–64	Tries: Van der Merwe 41' c, G. Davies 50' c Conversions: S. Shingler 42', 51'	6,931	4th
23 January 2016	Northampton Saints	H	10–22	Try: R. Jones 79' c Conversion: Thomas 80' Penalty: Thomas 27'	6,823	4th

Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	PD	BP	Pts
Racing 92	6	4	1	1	174	70	+104	4	22
Northampton Saints	6	4	1	1	94	93	1	1	19
Glasgow Warriors	6	3	0	3	114	18	+1	2	14
Scarlets	6	0	0	6	59	182	−123	2	2

Statistics

(+ in the Apps column denotes substitute appearance)

Pos.	Name	Pro 12						European Champions Cup						Total						Discipline
		Apps	Try	Con	Pen	Drop	Pts	Apps	Try	Con	Pen	Drop	Pts	Apps	Try	Con	Pen	Drop	Pts
FB/WG	Steff Evans	14+1	5	0	0	0	25	3+1	0	0	0	0	0	17+2	5	0	0	0	25	1	0
FB/WG	Liam Williams	4	1	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
FB	Jordan Williams	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
WG/FB	Tom Williams	4+3	1	0	0	0	5	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	5+4	1	0	0	0	5	1	0
WG	Michael Tagicakibau	4+1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	7+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
WG	D. T. H. van der Merwe	14	7	0	0	0	35	5	1	0	0	0	5	19	8	0	0	0	40	1	0
WG	Harry Robinson	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
CE/WG	Hadleigh Parkes	22	5	0	0	0	25	4	0	0	0	0	0	26	5	0	0	0	25	0	0
CE/FB	Gareth Owen	15+3	2	0	0	0	10	4	0	0	0	0	0	19+4	2	0	0	0	10	0	0
CE	Regan King	15+2	0	0	0	0	0	3+1	0	0	0	0	0	18+3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
CE/FB	Michael Collins	10+2	3	0	0	0	15	2+2	0	0	0	0	0	12+4	3	0	0	0	15	0	0
CE	Steffan Hughes	1+2	0	0	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	1+4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
CE	Scott Williams	1	1	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
FH	Daniel Jones	6+3	0	4	17	0	59	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	7+4	0	4	17	0	59	0	0
FH/FB	Aled Thomas	13+9	0	18	26	0	114	3+1	1	2	3	0	18	16+10	1	20	29	0	132	1	0
FH	Steven Shingler	7+6	1	8	21	0	84	4	0	2	4	0	16	11+8	1	10	25	0	100	0	0
FH	Josh Lewis	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SH	Aled Davies	12+8	1	0	0	0	5	0+4	0	0	0	0	0	12+12	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
SH	Rhodri Williams	5+8	0	0	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	5+10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SH	Gareth Davies	5+3	2	0	0	0	10	6	2	0	0	0	10	11+3	4	0	0	0	20	0	0
SH	Connor Lloyd	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N8	Rory Pitman	0+5	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1+5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N8	Jack Condy	0+8	0	0	0	0	0	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	1+9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N8	Morgan Allen	10+3	3	0	0	0	15	4	0	0	0	0	0	14+3	3	0	0	0	15	0	0
FL/N8	John Barclay	17	1	0	0	0	5	2	0	0	0	0	0	19	1	0	0	0	5	2	0
FL	James Davies	15	5	0	0	0	25	2	0	0	0	0	0	17	4	0	0	0	25	1	0
FL	Aaron Shingler	15	1	0	0	0	5	4	0	0	0	0	0	19	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
FL	Tom Phillips	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	1+3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FL	Will Boyde	3+2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4+2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
LK/FL	Lewis Rawlins	12	0	0	0	0	0	2+3	1	0	0	0	5	14+3	1	0	0	0	5	1	0
LK	Tom Price	8+4	0	0	0	0	0	3+2	0	0	0	0	0	11+6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
LK	George Earle	5+7	0	0	0	0	0	1+1	0	0	0	0	0	6+8	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
LK	Jake Ball	11	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	14	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
LK	Maselino Paulino	4+6	0	0	0	0	0	5+1	0	0	0	0	0	9+7	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
LK	Jack Jones	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
LK	David Bulbring	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
HK	Emyr Phillips	7+2	0	0	0	0	0	3+1	0	0	0	0	0	10+3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
HK	Kirby Myhill	5+7	0	0	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	5+9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
HK	Ryan Elias	1+6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1+6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
HK	Ken Owens	10+1	1	0	0	0	5	3	0	0	0	0	0	13+1	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
PR	Peter Edwards	12+4	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	14+4	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
PR	Phil John	8+6	2	0	0	0	10	4+1	0	0	0	0	0	12+7	2	0	0	0	10	1	0
PR	Rob Evans	13+2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	15+2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
PR	Will Taylor	0+5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
PR	Samson Lee	9+1	0	0	0	0	0	3+2	0	0	0	0	0	12+3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
PR	Dylan Evans	1+10	0	0	0	0	0	0+3	0	0	0	0	0	1+13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
PR	Rhodri Jones	1+9	0	0	0	0	0	1+3	1	0	0	0	5	2+10	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
PR	Wyn Jones	0	0	0	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Stats accurate as of match played 7 May 2016

Transfers

In

Date confirmed	Pos.	Name	From
19 February 2015^[1]	WG	D. T. H. van der Merwe	Glasgow Warriors
9 March 2015^[2]	FH	Aled Thomas	Gloucester
25 March 2015^[3]	PR	Will Taylor	Wasps
31 March 2015^[4]	LK	/ Tom Price	Leicester Tigers
20 April 2015^[5]	PR	/ Dylan Evans	Wanderers/Melbourne Rebels
29 April 2015^[6]	N8	Jack Condy	Cross Keys
4 May 2015^[7]	N8	Morgan Allen	Ospreys
20 July 2015^[8]	FB/WG	Tom Williams	Cardiff Blues (loan)
11 October 2015^[9]	LK	Maselino Paulino
26 October 2015^[10]	CE/FB	Michael Collins
3 February 2016^[11]	LK	David Bulbring

Out

Date confirmed	Pos.	Name	To
6 January 2015^[12]	FH	Rhys Priestland	Bath
19 April 2015^[13]	HK	Darran Harris	Rotherham
9 May 2015^[14]	LK	Johan Snyman	Brive
	WG	Kristian Phillips	Ospreys
		Frazier Climo	Ayr RFC
		Kyle Evans	Moseley
	PR	Jacobie Adriaanse	Montpellier
	FL	Sion Bennett	Northampton Saints
12 May 2015^[15]	PR	Javan Sebastian	Glasgow Warriors
18 May 2015^[16]	CE	Adam Warren	Newport Gwent Dragons
14 July 2015^[17]	FL	Craig Price	Neath RFC
2 September 2015^[18]	LK	Richard Kelly	Retired
23 September 2015^[19]	FL/N8	Rob McCusker	London Irish
29 March 2016^[20]	N8	Rory Pitman	Released

Notes and References

1. News: Scarlets sign wing Van der Merwe . BBC Sport . 19 February 2015 . 31 March 2015 .
2. News: Gloucester fly-half Aled Thomas to rejoin Scarlets . BBC Sport . 9 March 2015 . 31 March 2015 .
3. News: Scarlets sign prop Will Taylor from Wasps . BBC Sport . 25 March 2015 . 31 March 2015 .
4. News: Lock Price to join Scarlets from Tigers . Scarlets . 31 March 2015 . 31 March 2015 .
5. News: Scarlets add strength in depth to front row . Scarlets . 20 April 2015 . 30 April 2015 .
6. News: Condy commits to Scarlets . Scarlets . 29 April 2015 . 30 April 2015 .
7. News: Allen flies the nest and heads west . Scarlets . 4 May 2015 . 4 May 2015 .
8. News: Blues' Williams Heads West . Scarlets . 20 July 2015 . 20 July 2015 .
9. News: Samoan International Bolsters Scarlets Pack . Scarlets . 11 October 2015 . 11 October 2015 .
10. News: Scarlets Welcome Welsh Qualified Kiwi . Scarlets . 26 October 2015 . 26 October 2015 .
11. News: South African Lock Bulbring Joins Scarlets . Scarlets . 3 February 2016 . 3 February 2016 .
12. News: Rhys Priestland: Bath sign Wales fly-half from Scarlets . BBC Sport . 6 January 2015 . 31 March 2015 .
13. News: Scarlets hooker Darran Harris to join Rotherham . South Wales Evening Post . 19 April 2015 .
14. News: Thank you and farewell . Scarlets . 9 May 2015 .
15. News: Squad update . Carmarthen Quins . 12 May 2015 . 18 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150519202146/http://www.carmarthenquinsrfc.co.uk/News/Article/39981 . 19 May 2015 . dead .
16. News: Scarlets centre Adam Warren to join Dragons . South Wales Evening Post . 18 May 2015 .
17. News: Three Forward Recruits at the Gnoll . Neath RFC . 15 August 2015 .
18. News: Scarlets lock Richard Kelly forced to retire through injury . Scarlets . 2 September 2015.
19. News: Former Scarlets captain McCusker to join London Irish . Scarlets . 23 September 2015.
20. News: Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac confirms talks with Crusaders wing Johnny McNicholl . Wales Online . 12 April 2016.