Winter Sports - Rugby Union
manager of the new stadium. Built as a joint venture partnership between Carmarthenshire County Council and Llanelli Scarlets, Parc y Scarlets became, in 2008, the new home of Llanelli rugby, a position that had been held by Stradey Park for almost 130 years.
Scarlets’ history as a team is considerably shorter, having been formed in 2003 as one of five (now four) Welsh regional professional rugby union teams newly created by the Welsh Rugby Union.
The move was designed to streamline and enhance Welsh rugby, with a smaller group of top-flight professional regional sides taking over from the nine long- established, well-known city and town clubs as the main supply line for the Wales national team. Drawn primarily from the high-flying Llanelli team of 2001-2002, Scarlets enjoyed a very good first season whilst also fulfilling its role as the official regional rugby union representative for the west and north of Wales, encouraging
and promoting the development of new and upcoming players alongside Wales’ other three regional teams - Blues, Dragons and Ospreys - all of whom play matches across the British Isles and in Europe.
On 2nd August 2011, whilst finalising pitch preparations for the Scarlets first game of the new rugby season just 11 days later, Luke learned that the stadium had been selected by newly-promoted Barclays Premiership football club, Swansea City, as the host venue for its reserves squad for the coming season. “We knew there was every likelihood of this happening when Swansea City secured promotion to the Premier League,” said Luke. “As a Premiership club, Swansea City had to ensure that their reserves home ground achieved the high standard of facilities laid down by the Premier League.” Having previously hosted Wales under- 21 and senior international football fixtures, as well as national, regional and local friendlies, Parc y Scarlets had proved itself capable of handling both
rugby and football matches with equal success.
Not only was the stadium UEFA-
accredited, but it had passed with flying colours the required eleven-point Premier League inspection, highlighted in a report which contained eight excellent gradings, two very good and one good. As he worked on the pitch, Luke was confident that the turf would be able to take the additional strain of hosting all eleven Swansea reserve team fixtures, to be played on a Monday or Wednesday evening.
These timings, he reasoned, would fit well with the commitments already in place for Scarlets and Llanelli RFC home games, most of which would be taking place on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon or early evening. “When completed in 2008, Parc y Scarlets was regarded as the most modern and high-tech stadium in Wales,” commented Luke. “The design and build are of an exceptional standard and, because the spectators are very close
“It was a big responsibility, but Parc y Scarlets stuck with me and gave me all possible support, a situation that remains constant to this day”
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