2026–27 Scarlets season
Scarlets 2026–27 rugby season
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The 2026–27 season is scheduled to be the 24th in the history of the Scarlets, a Welsh regional rugby union side based in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. In this season, they will compete in the United Rugby Championship, its URC Welsh Shield competition and the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Head coachDwayne Peel
ChairmanSimon Muderack
| 2026–27 season | |||
| Head coach | Dwayne Peel | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Simon Muderack | ||
| |||
Friendlies
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2026 | Exeter Chiefs | A | 36–15 | Tries: Page (2) 28' c, 66' m, J. Roberts (2) 40' c, 68' m, McDonald 52' m, Davis 71' c Conversions: McDonald (3) 28', 40', 71' |
|
| 11 September 2026 | Dragons | H[a] | 14–80 | Tries: I. Jones 15' c, S. O'Connor 25' c Conversions: Anscombe (2) 15', 22' |
|
| 18 September 2026 | Saracens | H | 14–26 | Tries: James 21' c, Morse 72' c Conversions: Costelow 21', Anscombe 72' |
- Game played at the Church Bank ground in Llandovery.
United Rugby Championship
League phase
Fixtures
The fixture schedule for the 2026–27 United Rugby Championship season was announced on 19 May 2026.[1]
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | Table position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 September 2026 | Cardiff Rugby | H | 15–21 | Tries: Roberts 6' m, Murray 23' c Conversions: Anscombe 24' Penalties: Hawkins 52' |
7,073 | 13th |
| 3 October 2026 | Dragons | A | 26–38 | Tries: Page (2) 2' c, 28' c, S. O'Connor 58' c, Jones 73' m Conversions: Costelow (3) 3', 29', 59' |
7,163 | 14th |
| 10 October 2026 | Benetton | H | 27–26 | Tries: Lousi 4' c, Murray 53' c, Mee (2) 56' m, 65' m Conversions: Costelow (2) 5', 54' Penalties: Costelow 79' |
6,026 | 12th |
| 24 October 2026 | Stormers | A | ||||
| 31 October 2026 | Bulls | A | ||||
| 5 December 2026 | Connacht | H | ||||
| 18 December 2026 | Munster | A | ||||
| 26 December 2026 | Ospreys | A | ||||
| 2 January 2027 | Dragons | H | ||||
| 22 January 2027 | Glasgow Warriors | A | ||||
| 30 January 2027 | Edinburgh | H | ||||
| 27 February 2027 | Zebre | A | ||||
| 20 March 2027 | Lions | H | ||||
| 26 March 2027 | Leinster | H | ||||
| 17 April 2027 | Ulster | A | ||||
| 24 April 2027 | Sharks | H | ||||
| 8 May 2027 | Ospreys | H | ||||
| 15 May 2027 | Cardiff Rugby | A |
Tables
Overall
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Edinburgh |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 54 | +26 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 14 | Qualification for the Champions Cup and knockout stage |
| 2 | Glasgow Warriors |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 95 | 72 | +23 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 | |
| 3 |  Bulls |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 126 | 54 | +72 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |
| 4 | Stormers |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 81 | 54 | +27 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |
| 5 | Sharks |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 89 | 83 | +6 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |
| 6 |  Cardiff |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 66 | 71 | −5 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |
| 7 | Lions |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 77 | 102 | −25 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |
| 8 | Dragons |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 88 | 83 | +5 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 9 | |
| 9 |  Munster |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 72 | 74 | −2 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 9 | Qualification for the Challenge Cup |
| 10 | Leinster |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 58 | +17 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
| 11 | Ulster |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 88 | 93 | −5 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 8 | |
| 12 | Scarlets |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 68 | 85 | −17 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 7 | |
| 13 | Ospreys |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 81 | 107 | −26 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 6 | |
| 14 | Connacht |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 84 | −28 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |
| 15 |  Benetton |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 64 | 68 | −4 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 16 | Zebre |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 116 | −64 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Updated to match(es) played on 4 October 2026. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[2]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[2]
Welsh Shield
| |||||||||||||||||
| Welsh Shield | |||||||||||||||||
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TBP | LBP | Pts | Pos overall | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragons |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 69 | 64 | +5 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | |||
| 2 | Ospreys |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | |||
| 3 | Cardiff |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 15 | +6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | |||
| 4 | Scarlets |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 59 | –18 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | |||
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[3]
| |||||||||||||||||
| Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields. (S) : URC Shield champion | |||||||||||||||||
EPCR Challenge Cup
Having finished in 14th in the 2025–26 United Rugby Championship, the Scarlets qualified for the 2026–27 EPCR Challenge Cup. The draw for the pool stage took place on 1 July 2026; the Scarlets were drawn into pool 2 along with fellow URC sides Benetton and Sharks, French Top 14 sides Lyon OU and Castres, and English PREM Rugby side Newcastle Red Bulls.[4]
Teams will play four pool matches, the first taking place on the weekend of 16 October 2026.[5]
Pool stage
Fixtures
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | Table position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 October 2026 | Newcastle Red Bulls | H | ||||
| 12 December 2026 | Sharks | A | ||||
| 9 January 2027 | Lyon | H | ||||
| 16 January 2027 | Castres | A |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scarlets |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 14 | +33 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | Home round of 16 |
| 2 | Sharks |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 33 | +7 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 |  Lyon |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 40 | −7 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | Benetton |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Away round of 16 |
| 5 | Castres |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 |  Newcastle Red Bulls |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 47 | −33 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 17 October 2026. Source: EPCR[6]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
Transfers
In
| Date confirmed | Pos. | Name | From | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April 2026 | PR | Corey Domachowski |
Cardiff Rugby | [7] |
| 6 May 2026 | LK | Harvey Cuckson |
Bath |
[8] |
| 14 May 2026 | HK | John McKee |
Leinster |
[9] |
| 21 May 2026 | George Roberts |
Dragons | [10] | |
| 4 June 2026 | LK | Alex Groves |
Stormers |
[11] |
| FB |  Isaac Murray-Macgregor |
Crusaders | ||
| 26 June 2026 | LK | Cullen Grace |
[12] | |
| 16 July 2026 | Tom Allen |
Hurricanes |
[13] | |
| 28 July 2026 | FH | Gareth Anscombe |
Bayonne |
[14] |
| 12 August 2026 | PR | Chris Apoua |
Moana Pasifika |
[15] |
Out
| Date confirmed | Pos. | Name | To | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 February 2026 | HK | Marnus van der Merwe |
Munster |
[16] |
| 10 April 2026 | WG | Tom Rogers |
Ospreys | [17] |
| 30 April 2026 | PR | Alec Hepburn |
Edinburgh |
[18] |
| 13 May 2026 | LK | Jake Ball |
Retired | [19] |
 Max Douglas |
 Shizuoka Blue Revs |
[20] | ||
| 16 May 2026 | N8 | Ben Williams |
Pontypool RFC | [21] |
| 17 June 2026 | LK | Jarrod Taylor |
Ealing Trailfinders |
[22] |
| 4 September 2026 | PR | Chris Apoua |
Released | [23] |