Scarlets

Shane Williams arrived on the wing in 2003, the year the Scarlets came into being, and stayed until 2011. By the time he left he was the leading try scorer in Welsh rugby history. In 2003–04, its first season, the Scarlets won the Celtic League.

The region was set up in 2003 as a professional side under Llanelli RFC, the club founded in 1872. It is a separate legal entity, but it kept the scarlet shirt and the nickname, The Turks. Incorporation came on 11 June and the launch on 7 July.

Munster won the 2005 Celtic Cup 27–16, London Wasps took the 2006 Anglo-Welsh Cup 26–10, and in 2007 Leicester Tigers beat them 33–17 in a Heineken Cup semi-final. The Scarlets had knocked out Munster 24–15 in the quarter-final. West Wales has its own derby too, against the Ospreys.

They won the Pro12 in 2017. They beat La Rochelle 29–17 in the Champions Cup quarter-final, then lost the semi-final 38–16 to Leinster. In the Pro14 final, they lost to the same opponents, 40–32.

The squad through those years drew heavily on the academy and on Welsh internationals. Liam Williams came through the academy and played fullback. Tadhg Beirne locked the scrum. Stephen Jones kicked his way to 2,850 points, still the club's record.