Young left the Blues to take up his current post as Wasps head honcho in the Aviva Premiership outfit at the beginning of last season after a successful playing and coaching career in Wales’ capital city.
Another coach who will be able to impart some local knowledge in the opening round will be Gloucester’s Nigel Davies. The ex-Scarlets coach will be hoping to cup campaign off to a winning start at the Liberty Stadium where the Ospreys await.
Elsewhere, Aviva Premiership newcomers London Welsh will face fellow RFU Championship graduates Exeter Chiefs, ready for their debut in the competition, which is credited for playing a crucial role in the development of elite players.
London Welsh second row Adam Brown has particular reason to look forward to the club’s first-ever LV=Cup campaign, with the draw having thrown up the chance to take on his former club Newport Gwent Dragons.
Brown joined the Exiles from the Dragons in 2011 and went on to pick up London Welsh’s Players’ Player of the Year award for his consistent displays.
Drawn in Pool 4, Welsh will open their campaign at home to Exeter Chiefs, a game scheduled to be shown live on S4C, before back-to-back trips to Gloucester and Harlequins.
The Exiles bring their pool fixtures to a close at home to the Dragons.
“That’s the fixture that stands out for me,” said Brown. “It’s a game I’m looking forward to as I’ve still got a lot of close friends playing there. All the teams we’re playing this year are going to challenge us a team. It’s going to be a step up intensity and ability.
“But you want to play at the highest level you can and challenge yourself. Everyone in the squad is excited but we know we’ve got a lot of work to do if we’re going to prove we can play at this level, but there’s definitely a buzz around the place.”
After an impressive first season at London Welsh, Brown was unlucky to miss the Championship final after sustaining a broken finger in the second leg of the Exiles’ semi-final win over Bedford Blues.
“I was a bit disappointed and it was really unfortunate to pick up the injury so late in the semi-final, but because we’re such a close-knit squad the boys made me feel part of the final,” he added.
“Last season was a squad effort and with the boys making me feel a part of it, it didn’t bother me as much. I enjoyed the wins over the Cornish Pirates just like everybody else did.”
Pool 1 Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester Rugby, Newport Gwent Dragons.
Pool 2 Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors, Cardiff Blues.
Pool 3 Saracens, London Irish, London Wasps, Scarlets
Pool 4 Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, London Welsh, Ospreys
2012-13 LV= Cup Fixtures
Round 1 –November 9-11
Northampton Saints v Harlequins
London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs (Sunday November 11, KO 1600. S4C)
Bath Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons
Ospreys v Gloucester Rugby (Friday November 9, KO 1945. Sky Sports HD)
London Irish v Sale Sharks
Cardiff Blues v London Wasps
Worcester Warriors v Scarlets
Saracens v Leicester Tigers
Round 2 –November 16-18
Harlequins v Bath Rugby
Exeter v Ospreys
Gloucester Rugby v London Welsh
Sale Sharks v Saracens
Leicester Tigers v London Irish
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues (Saturday November 17, KO 1830. S4C)
London Wasps v Worcester Warriors
Round 3 – January 25-27
Harlequins v London Welsh
Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs
Newport Gwent Dragons v Ospreys
Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby
Sale Sharks v Scarlets
Leicester Tigers v London Wasps
Saracens v Cardiff Blues
London Irish v Worcester Warriors
Round 4 –February 1-3
London Welsh v Newport Gwent Dragons
Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby
Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints
Ospreys v Harlequins
London Wasps v Sale Sharks
Scarlets v Leicester Tigers
Worcester Warriors v Saracens
Cardiff Blues v London Irish
Semi Finals –March 8/9/10
Final – March 17 (venue tbc)
