Brive currently prop up the TOP 14, but the Welsh region are 13th in the BKT United Rugby Championship, so Peel is expecting the sides to be evenly matched in tonight’s Round of 16 tie at Parc y Scarlets.

“Brive will come here hard and make it difficult for us,” he said. “If you saw their game against Racing in Paris, the result may not have gone their way, but they were very competitive for large parts of that game. It was the same when they played Bordeaux at home as well.

“They are going to be very physical. They have excellent line-out defence, one of the best in the TOP 14, and they fight hard at the breakdown.

“I can assure you we won’t be taking any opposition lightly. We have prepped well and are expecting a tough challenge, especially up front. They will be a tough nut to crack.”

Scarlets, who won all four of their Pool B games to top the section, have reached three EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-finals and Peel is keen for it to be a fourth.

“Over the years we have had some good occasions here, some big games,” he said. “The history is there and when you look at the squad last weekend, 17 of the 23 came through our system, so they are aware of what it means. We haven’t had to touch too much on the emotional side of it this week.”

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel has predicted that CA Brive will be “a tough nut to crack” if the Welsh region are to reach the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-finals.