Scarlets approach Ospreys to loan players for Champions Cup opener

The Scarlets will be without 32 of their players for their opening Champions Cup fixture against Bristol Bears next week.

The Welsh region have 32 players currently in quarantine in Belfast and have just 14 fit players training at Parc y Scarlets.

Seven of those 14 players are members of the senior squad, while the other seven are on development contracts.

Needing at least nine more players to fulfil the fixture against the Premiership side, the Scarlets have reached out to European tournament organisers EPCR to reconsider their position on the rescheduling of matches.

The current ruling means that Scarlets must forfeit the game, resulting in a 28-0 bonus point win for Bristol, if they are unable to fulfil the fixture.

This had led to the Scarlets approaching Welsh rivals Ospreys to loan players. 

Scarlets have approached Ospreys to loan players for their Champions Cup opener with Bristol as they desperately try to find a side. Issues around registration and cup tying, but Toby Booth says Ospreys are keen to help out their Welsh rivals for the greater good.

— Alex Bywater (@_AlexBywater) December 2, 2021

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth confirmed that the Scarlets are in contact with their Welsh rivals asking if they had any players available.

"They've asked for seven or eight," said Booth.

"We're willing to help out because it's important we see the bigger picture here.

"It will suit us giving people opportunities to play in a prestigious game."

Booth added: "The boundaries are certainly softer when you have to contingency plan to that extreme, so it's about getting everyone in the tent together, helping each other out and looking after each other.

"Obviously we need to get player approval and EPCR need to agree around people not being cup-tied by playing, but hopefully common sense prevails and we can keep people playing."

Earlier today, Scarlets Executive Chairman Simon Muderack highlighted the issues that come with fielding academy players and semi-pros within the Scarlets' ranks.

“Without the 32 players in quarantine, we’d have to play development players and academy players – some of them just out of school in their first season of senior rugby – as well as semi-pro players, who juggle their rugby commitments with full-time work and put them up against a quality side like Bristol. That wouldn’t be good for the integrity of the competition or those individuals.

“None of us had any idea that this situation was going to occur, and that South Africa was going to be put on the red list.  The URC is a new league and what we are trying to do is support the league’s aspirations by sending our very best available team to South Africa to perform as best as we can. That’s us doing the right thing by the league and rugby. 

“For us to get penalised for that really doesn’t sit very well with me and we need to find a fair solution because forfeiting the game for something that was out of our control isn’t right.