Jones keeps Scarlets on European track

It was far from perfect but Gareth Jenkins saw enough at Stradey Park on Friday night to convince him that Llanelli's Heineken Cup chase is far from mission impossible.

Llanelli's long-standing coach watched his men make mistakes galore in driving rain but they still managed to chalk up a first win in a laboured 20-6 success over Perpignan.

After running the holders Leicester so close last week, Llanelli now believe they can record a double over Perpignan in the south of France in January which should earn them a last-eight berth, providing they can record back-to-back successes over the Italian minnows Calvisano.

"After this match we've got a better idea of what they stand for," said Jenkins. "The return will be a huge game, and in my mind it will be the one that settles the runners-up spot in the group. Perpignan tried to kill the ball to keep the tries down and then hoped to score tries at home.

"But we know what to expect. For the first few years of this competition the French had the rest of Europe in awe but we know what to expect these days. I am sure that we can go down there and pinch a result."

Long before then, Llanelli expect inspirational captain Scott Quinnell to be back in action. But, in the meantime, the fly-half Stephen Jones continues to make a decent fist of leading the side in the wounded Lion's absence. Jones was again his side's saviour, scoring all the points to see off the visitors' challenge to take his European haul to 29 in two starts.

Edinburgh face a much harder struggle to qualify for the quarter-finals after the disappointment of being held to a 6-6 draw at home by Biarritz on Friday night. The draw gave their their first point, but the fate of the group looks in Bath and Swansea's hands.

Graeme Burns, Edinburgh's captain, said: "Yet again we have failed to win a game we could have won. It is beginning to get us down."

In a desperately disappointing game, Biarrtiz's winnger, Stuart Legg, scored with two penalties while Duncan Hodge responded with a penalty and a drop goal for the Scots. But he also missed with two vital kicks which would have got Edninburgh's camapaign off and running.