Heineken Cup - Round 6
Jones and Rees bolster Scarlets
Scrum.com
January 21, 2010
The Scarlets front row of Deacon Manu, Matthew Rees and Iestyn Thomas prepare to lock down, London Irish v Scarlets, Heineken Cup, Madjeski Stadium, Reading, England, October 17, 2009
Matthew Rees, centre, bolsters the Scarlets' front-row © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Stephen Jones | Matthew Rees
Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup
Teams: Brive | France | Scarlets | Wales

A rousing home win over London Irish last weekend has cheered the Scarlets, and they require all five points in France this weekend to ensure their European season continues.

A dangling carrot for the Magners League side as they prepare to take on Brive in Pool 6 is the possibility of overhauling the Exiles in second and booking a place in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

Their perilous domestic position makes Heineken Cup qualification next season far from assured and Nigel Davies' men will go all out to ensure that their European campaign is extended.

British & Irish Lions fly-half Stephen Jones returns to action following a shoulder injury and he partners Martin Roberts at halfback. Centre Jonathan Davies scored a brace last weekend and starts outside Jones, while flanker Rob McCusker did the same and is again included in the back-row.

Daniel Evans continues at fullback, with the return of Jones meaning that Rhys Priestland drops to the bench. In another boost for Wales ahead of the Six Nations, he is joined there by Lions hooker Matthew Rees.

Former Scarlets flanker Alix Popham leads Brive, who are able to include England centre Riki Flutey in their starting lineup ahead of the Six Nations. Andy Goode returns at fly-half.

Brive: Scott Spedding, Horacio Agulla, Ronnie Cooke, Riki Flutey, RĂ©gis Bianco, Andy Goode, Jean-Baptiste Pejoine, Pablo Henn, Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux, Petrisor Toderasc, Thibault Dubarry, Retief Uys, Alix Popham (capt), Fabien Domingo, Steve Thompson

Guillaume Ribes, Davit Kinchagishvili, Christian Short, Simon Azoulai, Shaun Perry, Luciano Orquera, Alexis Palisson, Pascal Idieder

Scarlets: Daniel Evans, Morgan Stoddart, Sean Lamont, Jon Davies, Andrew Fenby, Stephen Jones, Martin Roberts, Iestyn Thomas, Ken Owens, Deacon Manu, Damian Welch, Dominic Day, Rob McCusker, Josh Turnbull, David Lyons (capt)

Replacements: Matthew Rees, Phil John, Rhys Thomas, Lou Reed, Jon Edwards, Lee Williams, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Maule

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