Jones' Stradey Euro send-off bid

SCARLETS v HARLEQUINS
Venue: Stradey Park, Llanelli Date: Saturday, 11 October Kick-off: 1530 BST Coverage: Live on Sky Sports 2. Coverage on BBC Radio Wales & BBC London, live scores on BBC Sport website

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Stephen Jones is an iconic figure at Stradey Park

Wales star Stephen Jones believes the Scarlets have a historic duty to win their final European game at their famous Stradey Park stadium.

Their Heineken Cup Pool Four opener with Harlequins is their penultimate game at Stradey before their move to the new Parc y Scarlets stadium.

"It is important to this old place justice and sign off in style with a win," said Jones.

"We've had some great European nights and Saturday will be a special day."

The Scarlets have named a full strength squad for their European farewell to Stradey Park, Llanelli's renowned home since 1879.

Stradey's first European game was Llanelli's 34-17 win over Leinster in 1996 and the hosts have lost just 10 of their 39 Heineken Cup games at their own ground.

But the Scarlets endured a Heineken Cup nightmare last season, losing all of their six games.

606: DEBATE With it being the last Heineken Cup game at Stradey and with the Scarlets pride in this competition (excluding last season), I will go for a home win ro4015

"Losing to Wasps last season was probably the toughest to take, that really hurt," said Wales outside-half Jones.

"We were outplayed and they were far better than us as they won 33-17.

"Losing in the quarter-finals to Perpignan in 2003 and to Biarritz 2004, again in the last eight, were big European disappointments at Stradey.

"However, when everything is going great then there's nothing better than playing in front of a packed Stradey Park crowd.

"I enjoyed beating Leicester in a pool game in 2002 when they were Heineken Cup champions before they went on to retain the trophy.

"I loved beating Munster, who were then reigning champions, in a quarter-final in 2007, as well.

"Stradey is a great place to play rugby and I'll be sorry to see an old friend go, but we must move on for the good of the club.

"Hopefully Saturday's game will be a great occasion in front of a packed house and we can give Stradey a fitting European send-off."

But Guinness Premiership high-fliers Harlequins have shown great early season promise and have the potential to spoil the Scarlets party.

Llanelli academy graduate Jones, in his second spell at Stradey, warned: "Harlequins have the ability to spoil our day.

"They're doing well in the English premiership, they're well coached and have brilliant runners behind the scrum.

"But if we're defensively sound and play to our potential we'll give Stradey a send-off it deserves."

The Scarlets next home Heineken Cup fixture against Ulster on 12 December will be at their new Parc y Scarlets stadium their £24m state-of-the-art, 14,340-capacity new ground.

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Scarlets: Morgan Stoddard; Mark Jones; Regan King, Gavin Evans; Dafydd James; Stephen Jones, Sililo Martens; Iestyn Thomas, Matthew Rees, Kees Meeuws; Vernon Cooper, Simon Maling; Simon Easterby (capt), Gavin Thomas, David Lyons

Harlequins: tbc

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)