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Leigh Halfpenny: Scarlets full-back ruled out of Bath match

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments50

Leigh Halfpenny
Leigh Halfpenny joined the Scarlets from French club Toulon before the start of the 2017-18 season
European Champions Cup: Bath v Scarlets
Venue: Recreation Ground, Bath Date: Friday, 12 January Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Listen live on Five Live Sport Extra, BBC Radio Wales and BBC local radio and on the BBC Sport website.

Scarlets have been forced to reshuffle their team for Friday's Champions Cup tie at Bath after Leigh Halfpenny and Johnny McNicholl failed fitness tests.

Wales full-back Halfpenny, 29, has not recovered from a chest injury.

He and wing McNicholl were initially named for the match, now Rhys Patchell moves to full-back from fly-half with Paul Asquith switching to wing.

Hadleigh Parkes moves from the bench to take Asquith's centre slot.

However, Wales internationals Scott Williams and Gareth Davies both return from injury for a match Scarlets must win to keep their qualification chances alive.

Patchell is replaced at fly-half by Dan Jones.

"It's a must win game for both sides, it's like a knock-out game in itself," said Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac.

CHAMPIONS CUP POOL 5
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstBonus PtsPoints
Bath43018758113
Toulon43019695113
Scarlets42029779412
Benetton40046911733

Scarlets: Rhys Patchell; Paul Asquith, Hadleigh Parkes, Scott Williams, Tom Prydie; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens (capt), Samson Lee, Tadhg Beirne, David Bulbring, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Werner Kruger, Lewis Rawlins, Josh Macleod, Aled Davies, Steff Hughes, Will Boyde

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50 comments

  • Comment posted by Hibbardski, at 07:58 12 Jan 2018

    I think McNicholl's absence will be more telling than Halfpenny's.

  • Comment posted by IAM, at 13:57 12 Jan 2018

    Carlitos way you have no place in rugby lack of common sense and decency orbit your tiny mind play hard fair and sporting not hope for the worse

  • Comment posted by Hambo, at 08:47 12 Jan 2018

    I want what steve71 is smoking. Wouldn't put him in the top 20 NH fullbacks on current form.

  • Comment posted by kraken, at 08:00 12 Jan 2018

    Of course the Scarlets can win without H/penny. Of late his kicking has not been up to his usual standards, and as a full back I do not think he is great. Bath are showing a bit of form, so it should be a cracking game.

  • Comment posted by thetruthhurts, at 13:12 12 Jan 2018

    1/2P is a great guy, a good ambassador for the sport and a genuinely good player, he is however far from the best FB in the 6N/Wales. His attacking threat has always been suspect with ball in hand at the top level. His boot will be missed but his predictability at the back will not.

  • Comment posted by CT12, at 09:39 12 Jan 2018

    I'm more interested in the matchup between James Davies and Sam Underhill. Underhill supposed to be England's next big thing, James Davies can't get into a Welsh squad.........

  • Comment posted by disillusioned, at 08:02 12 Jan 2018

    I'm surprised scarlets keep shuffling their starting 10 back to 15 whenever there is an injury at 15, surely it would be better to keep Patchell at 10 and find another 15. I guess their choice of 10s is better than their choice of 15s.

  • Comment posted by TARW, at 20:44 12 Jan 2018

    It would seem that Scarlets are on top at the moment

  • Comment posted by U15647195, at 15:22 12 Jan 2018

    @31 Your dead from the neck up but who really cares.
    @32 I think you’ll find that BT sport cover the AP and Europe very well for a minimal fee,I’ll be watching tonight.

  • Comment posted by Let the Red Dragon Rise, at 13:30 12 Jan 2018

    @24 You may not like it but he has a point. In the past few days we've had HYS on Lydiate & now 1/2P, but nothing on say Darryl Marfo, or on the wider Scotland prop problem as a whole. nothing for Ringrose, or Te'o etc.

    There's also no where else to post any comment about this but in the Wales section, which is also on the rugby section front page if you weren't aware.

  • Comment posted by Domrugby10, at 11:30 12 Jan 2018

    Last season the Scarlets won at both Leinster and Munster, so of course they can win. As always, the game will be won up front and discipline will be paramount.

    Patchell moved west to play at 10 and while I realise an injury has forced this move, there really should be another player in the squad to cover FB.

  • Comment posted by Pob, at 11:08 12 Jan 2018

    Yes but McNicholl & Steff Evans are a greater loss. IMO Halfpenny lost his mojo a few months after he moved to Toulon & has struggled to recapture it ever since.

  • Comment posted by camolin, at 09:41 12 Jan 2018

    Halfpenny will not be missed, no attacking threat and others can kick goals. Pity Patchell not at 10 and about McNichol whose loss is more significant because of subsequent changes

  • Comment posted by U15783078, at 21:35 12 Jan 2018

    Fantastic result Scarlets (from an Ospreys fan).....Wayne Pivac for Wales coach......NOW!

    Lets get rid of Howler and Cementhead tomorrow!

  • Comment posted by MumblesOspreyJack, at 20:45 12 Jan 2018

    @42 Bulldog. It is close at HT. NOT! Come on you SCARLETS

  • Comment posted by MumblesOspreyJack, at 20:39 12 Jan 2018

    @38 BBC Wales have their own network choices at times. They show rugby. England regions don't. BBC England = BBC Enlish regions. So why don't you people living in England and are rugby supporters complain to the BBC and demand a rugby programme.

    I'm an Osprey fan but come on you SCARLETS!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Comment posted by Bulldog, at 17:39 12 Jan 2018

    @38, well - and I may have this wrong, but isn't it that the BBC has bought the rights to show Welsh Rugby, where they couldn't afford the English rights? So a talk show about English rugby wouldn't be able to show any clips and so would be just basically chat... Ugo talks to Dylan at an empty Franklins Gardens...and back to the studio. Which a podcast achieves at about a billionth of the cost.

  • Comment posted by Bryn W, at 15:17 12 Jan 2018

    What a headline... they actually have more chance of winning without halfpenny!!!

  • Comment posted by nonethewiser, at 11:56 12 Jan 2018

    A combination of injury and the static nature of most of the Top 14 play has reduced Halfpenny's threat. He is still solid defensively but his ability to beat men has been significantly reduced. He also bulked up to play in France making him half a step slower. A real indictment on the lack of place in the modern game for the "smaller" player.

  • Comment posted by dragonsbreath, at 10:06 12 Jan 2018

    @12 CT 12 - yep absolutely - should be an interesting one. Big game for Cubby with Gatland's beady eyes surely on him...

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