Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac is hoping his side can enjoy another stellar European campaign in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup after reaching the semi-finals last term. The Welsh region bounced back from two defeats in their opening two matches last season to top Pool 5 and seal a home quarter-final at a sold-out Parc y Scarlets, where they defeated La Rochelle 29-17. Pivac’s side lost 38-16 to Leinster Rugby in their semi-final in Dublin, but he still hailed the campaign as “a great journey”. “It was a great run to get through after two losses in the first two rounds,” said the 56-year-old New Zealander. “The home quarter-final against La Rochelle was very memorable and then, of course, we got through to the semi-final. https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/1049274236366475267 “Certainly, we’d like to replicate that. It was such a great journey. Everyone enjoyed it so much. There was some good rugby played along the way. “It was disappointing to go out the way we did, but certainly [we were] very pleased to get that far in the competition. So, if we could replicate that and have a better performance, that’s certainly what we’d like to do.” Looking ahead to this season’s challenge, Pivac admitted that his side will have to be at their best to progress from Pool 4, featuring two-time winners Leicester Tigers, 1999 winners Ulster Rugby and last season’s finalists, Racing 92. “Racing 92 got through to the final last year and they’ve got plenty of class. They are one of the giants of the game and we’ve got them first up at home,” Pivac added. “That’s going to be a great test and then we’re off to Welford Road to play Leicester Tigers. https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/1048913581813714944 “They are having a bit of a testing time at the moment and we’re not travelling that well ourselves, so for us, it’s a game we really look forward to and if we can pick up some points on the road, that’s going to help our cause to get out of the group. “Ulster, we know only too well and we’ve already played them once this year. Look, it’s going to be challenging, but [it’s] certainly a pool that if we play well enough, we can get out of it. “The Heineken Champions Cup is the ultimate as a player, outside of Test rugby, for us in the northern hemisphere. “So, to do well in this competition, the fans get right behind it. Certainly, down our way in West Wales, to get those games at home, they look forward to them.”