No contender for Europe’s blue riband trophy can have endured more heartache in their pursuit than the Scarlets, a point acknowledged by the most ruthless of all England captains.
Martin Johnson has confessed to feeling sorry for the best club not to have reached the final. Coming from a hard-nosed operator not exactly noted for extending sympathy to a vanquished opponent, that is quite something – but then so were the circumstances: a European Cup semi-final at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground in April 2002.
The Scarlets can still claim to be the only team to be bounced ou...