The bull gets a shampoo, wash and blow dry

Ray Gravell, who won 23 caps for Wales, led a Welsh Black bull Gwarcwm Aron the 23rd around the pitch before the Scarlets take on French side, Perpignan in the European Cup quarter final.

He was joined by Wales' First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

However, the parade was to little avail as the Scarlets lost 26-19 to the French side and went out of the competition.

The pre-match spectacle also aimed to promote the best of Welsh produce to television viewers across Europe.

And the 14-month-old bull looked its best for the cameras after being given a shampoo, wash and blow dry by its owner, Trefor Jones of Bow Street, near Aberystwyth.

I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with the bull and I'm sure it will get the crowd going before they welcome our French visitors Ray Gravell

"The pitch is very peaty and sandy so I am taking Cwm Cae Aaron to Llanelli because at 650kg he isn't heavy enough to cause deep holes in the pitch," said Mr Jones, ahead of the match.

"It is also great opportunity to promote Welsh beef which is the best in the world."

Sherman tank

Two years ago another of Mr Jones' bulls, also Gwarcwm Aron, was paraded before Llanelli's match against another French team, Colomiers, when the import of Welsh beef into France was the subject of a ban which has since been lifted.

Then as now, Llanelli legend and a former captain of the side, Ray Gravell, was given the honour of parading the bull around the ground.

"The Welsh Black is a great symbol of Welshness, strong and solid like a Sherman Tank," said Mr Gravell.

The bull hopes to inspire Llanelli's players

"I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with the bull and I'm sure it will get the crowd going before they welcome our French visitors." he said before the game.

Parading the bull also promoted the relationship between Llanelli and the Farmers' Union of Wales.

A club spokesman said the game gave an opportunity to promote Welsh beef all over the world.

Gareth Vaughan, the FUW's deputy president said that many "beefy farmers" had played for Llanelli including prop John Davies and Dafydd Jones.