Ken Owens hailed Leigh Halfpenny as the world’s deadliest goal-kicker after the Scarlets moved one step from a European Champions Cup Final. Halfpenny kicked 19 points at a raucous and vibrant Parc Y Scarlets on Friday night as the region eventually over-powered La Rochelle 29-17 in a gritty quarter-final display. Tries from Rhys Patchell and Scott Williams helped see the Scarlets into the last four for the first time since 2007 as the French club crumbled under pressure in the final quarter.

Steff Evans admits he can hardly believe he is close to a European Champions Cup Final following a breakthrough 12 months. The Scarlets wing is desperate to help guide his team to the last four of the tournament by overcoming La Rochelle in their quarter-final in Llanelli on Friday. It is the Scarlets’ first top-flight European knockout game since 2007, when they were beaten in the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup by Leicester.

March is normally the mournful month for Welsh rugby when the regions reflect on what might have been. Instead, the Scarlets can still prove themselves the best team in Europe, while the Cardiff Blues also have a chance for silverware. Robin Davey says there are encouraging signals for both. One from the west and one from the east as the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues fly the flag for Wales in Europe this Easter weekend. This is where it gets serious as the two competitions reach the knock-out stages, the Scarlets at home against La Rochelle in the senior tournament in what is sure to be a full-blooded quarter-final, while Cardiff Blues travel to Murrayfield to take on high-flying Edinburgh at the same stage in the Challenge Cup competition.

Ken Owens says his side won’t be fazed by La Rochelle’s big reputation, or their even bigger pack, when the French side roll into Llanelli on Good Friday’s shoot-out for a Champions Cup semi-final berth. La Rochelle have never been this far before in the tournament, while the Scarlets are returning to the knock-out stage […]

Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes had to cancel his wedding plans to play for the Scarlets in the Champions Cup quarter-final on Good Friday. The 30-year-old Kiwi was due to tie the knot with finance Susie back home in New Zealand this week, but instead had to postpone their big day to face La Rochelle in the biggest home game in more than a decade for the Welsh region. Only a late intervention from Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac averted a major clash of loyalties and saved his side from losing one of their most influential players.

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac insists Blade Thomson will sharpen up his pack next season, despite the forward’s history of injury problems. The Guinness Pro 14 champions have signed the Hurricanes back row forward on a two-year deal to cover the forthcoming losses of John Barclay and Tadgh Beirne. Thomson was on the fringes of the All Blacks squad two years ago, but two serious shoulder injuries halted his progress and he has only made 40 Super Rugby appearances since 2013.

Former England coach Stuart Lancaster believes Wales have been under-estimated and has warned Ireland could be “carved up” in Dublin next week. Lancaster, now a coaching advisor with Leinster, believes the Six Nations championship is still wide open, despite only Ireland and England remaining unbeaten after two rounds. Wales visit Ireland next Saturday, while England go to Murrayfield to face a Scotland team buoyed by their victory over France.

Wales U20 have made seven changes to their starting line-up to face England at Kingston Park on Friday (19:45). Prop Rhys Carre, Man of the Match in the 36-3 win against Scotland last Friday, and Cardiff Blues hooker Iestyn Harris are this week joined by a new front row partner in Ospreys tighthead Rhys Henry.

John Barclay has dismissed the idea he will have all of Wales’ cards marked on Saturday when he faces 10 of his Scarlets teammates. The Scotland captain insists there will be a significant difference between the way Warren Gatland’s team play in the Six Nations opener and the style he is used to with his regional teammates. Scotland are seen as many people’s dark horses to win their first ever Six Nations title, but they are fighting against recent history this weekend, having not won in Cardiff since 2002.

Wales fans may be licking their lips at the prospect of an emergency Scottish front row turning up at the Principality Stadium this weekend, but home hooker Ken Owens is taking nothing for granted. His Scarlets front five might have bossed some of the best packs in Europe in the Champions Cup pool stages on their way to a home quarter-final, and Warren Gatland has rewarded the region by picking their entire front row to start for the first time in an international, but utmost respect is the starting point for any member of the ‘Front Row Union’. “The Scots may have some front row injuries, but the players they’ve picked have got a lot of experience. Gordon Reid has been around a long time and has played some good stuff in England, Jon Welch is the same and they’ve brought Scott Lawson onto the bench as well,” said Owens.

Wales start their Six Nations campaign on Saturday and Robin Davey wants them to select grinder mode when they take on Scotland. The Scots have many new virtues, but front five power and heavy duty stuff are not yet among them. One of the biggest catchphrases of the Six Nations Championship is always, “win your first game to achieve early momentum” – particularly when there’s an imbalance of fixtures, meaning some teams have three home games while others get just two. Never do these words apply more appropriately than to Wales on Saturday when it really is vital they get off to a winning start by beating Scotland at the Principality Stadium.

Wayne Pivac believes Saturday night’s raucous atmosphere at Parc Y Scarlets will prove a turning point for the region. The Scarlets booked their European Champions Cup quarter-final place with a gritty 30-27 victory over former champions Toulon. It was night when the team proved they are capable of winning the tournament – mixing the flair they had shown at Bath in the previous round, with a determined defensive display to keep out the former champions in the final stages.