Skipper Owens salutes ace kicker Halfpenny
SCARLETS captain Ken Owens hailed the contribution of full-back Leigh Halfpenny.
He said: “It’s knockout rugby, we’ve learnt that you can try and play as much as you want, but you have just got to find a way to win, and that’s what we did.
“Cup rugby is about attitude and delivering. It wasn’t pretty at times, but we ground out the victory, we got into a pattern that worked for us.”
“Leigh’s kicking is the best in the world. We knew if we put them under pressure, we were going to get penalties, and then we had the right man to bang them over.
“I am just so proud of the boys. They turned up on the day and delivered but it is a job half done. We have another big game in three weeks’ time. We will keep working and getting better.
“It has been a barren 11 years in Europe, and in west Wales you are judged on Europe at the end of the day. We are just looking forward to the next opportunity.”
Head coach Wayne Pivac said: “It was just superb. We knew it was going to be fantastic and we knew it would lift the boys.
“With 25 minutes to go they were cheering every turnover and every time the ball went out. The boys fed off it and all commented afterwards what a great atmosphere it was.
“The whole town and region will remember this game for a long time.”