Scarlets Platform Please

With one of the most powerful and exciting backlines in NH club rugby the Scarlets remain largely ineffective due to having a poor platform. Its not rocket science but can the Scarlets please recruit a few players to bolster the pack. A huge number 8, 2 2nd rows and 1 monster of a prop would be my priorities - Go on Scarlets otherwise you are pixxing in the wind and wasting that talent outside the scrum.

They can't afford any. Those backs will never achieve by staying there... come to the Ospreys!

Unlike the high achieving Ospreys of late Go

The O's have achieved a heck of a lot more than the Scarlets in the last 10 years

Looking at the forwards that are left in our squad it is obvious that we do need to get in some locks, and hopefully a high quality tighthead. However things are not too bad when you look at who we still have on the books (and the postitions they cover)

Rhodri Jones - LH/TH
Deacon Manu - TH/LH
Phil John - LH/TH
Peter Edwards - TH
Simon Gardener - TH

Matthew Rees - Hooker
Ken Owens - Hooker
Kirby Myhill - Hooker
Emyr Phillips - Hooker

Sione Timani - Lock/Blindside/No.8
Aaron Shingler - Lock/Blindside/Openside
Josh Turnbull - Lock/Blindside/Openside/No.8
Rob McCusker - Lock/Blindside/Openside/No.8
Keiran Murphy - Lock/Blindside/No.8
Matt Gilbert - Lock/Blindside/No.8
Jon Edwards - Blindside/Openside

And there are others (like the U20s lads and semi-pros) who can come in if we are running low in certain position.

Sorry Spiderman but for me those will keep you 6th in the Rabo and nowhere near the 1/4's in the HC

I don't want to be negative but that is very weak.

Rhodri Jones - Very promising
Deacon Manu - average
Phil John - average
Peter Edwards - average
Simon Gardener - ?

Matthew Rees - World Class
Ken Owens - Great player
Kirby Myhill - Promosing
Emyr Phillips - Good player

Sione Timani - Good but better at blindside and he needs a tight lock next to him
Aaron Shingler - Blindside/Lock at a push Too lightweight for lock
Josh Turnbull - Blindside/Openside too short and lightweight for lock
Rob McCusker - Blindside/No8 too short and lightweight for lock
Keiran Murphy - No8/Blindside too short and lightweight for lock
Matt Gilbert - Blindside/No8 too short and lightweight for lock
Jon Edwards - Openside

GO - The difference between the O's and Scarlets is Cuddys money, The O's have underachived for years with muppets like Holley and Johnson in charge. They now look a far more complete team and there's room for optimism both this season and next year.

I'm expecting at least 3 signings for the Scarlets - I just hope their 2 high quality props and a monster TH (fingers crossed) - they can then help develop players like Shingler/Gilbert and in particular Evans and Samson Lee the young props (and Gardiner if he stays) - I also hope they've told Peter Edwards that the only way he's eating over the summer is if he chases the Greggs truck around town each day and then bench presses the driver!

Smirnoff - The worrying thing is if they said that to him, I would be willing to bet that he would do it. For a man with a traditional prop frame/shape he is more mobile than you would expect.

Go Wales - To be honest I was not making up positions to play people in, I was stating positions that I have seen them play in previously. As for McCusker/Turnbull being too short for locks, I'm pretty sure they are both either as tall, if not taller than Ryan Jones, and he has done a job there this season when required.

From what I have heard we are looking at the welsh prem for filler in the second row, and looking for a few higher end signing at tighthead and lock.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Smirnoff - The worrying thing is if they said that to him, I would be willing to bet that he would do it. For a man with a traditional prop frame/shape he is more mobile than you would expect.

Go Wales - To be honest I was not making up positions to play people in, I was stating positions that I have seen them play in previously. As for McCusker/Turnbull being too short for locks, I'm pretty sure they are both either as tall, if not taller than Ryan Jones, and he has done a job there this season when required.

From what I have heard we are looking at the welsh prem for filler in the second row, and looking for a few higher end signing at tighthead and lock.

Fair enough mate. I just don't think playing them at lock is going to get you anywhere. I'm pretty sure Ryan Jones is 6-5 perhaps even taller, while McCusker and Turnbull are around 6-4.

I think they can both do a good job (as can Shingler) at lock, but only if they have a very good grunt prop in there as well.

I do prefer both to play as flankers though, but signing a very good lock is a must if we're going to play Turnbull/McCusker/Shingler in the 2nd row

Smirnoff - I guess your right there, I guess if your a high class prop like Adam Jones (or Paul James for that matter) you can deal with not having as much support behind you in the form of Ryan Jones, where as if your an average prop you want as much bulk behind you as possible.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Smirnoff - I guess your right there, I guess if your a high class prop like Adam Jones (or Paul James for that matter) you can deal with not having as much support behind you in the form of Ryan Jones, where as if your an average prop you want as much bulk behind you as possible.

I agree (though think R Jones is very good in the 2nd row) - I was talking more about the fact that if you're not an out and out lock, you can get away with it if you've got a very good 2nd row partner (as Ryan has in AWJ/Evans) and as you say a very good front row (A Jones and P James).

Whereas I don't think Ryan would do half so well (or Turnbull for that matter) if Ryan was besides Turnbull in the scrum

From an outside prespective I think that even with a poor scrum they should still be able to achive with a good backline in the rabo and also get a second in the HC.

Look at munster and their great forwards who get caught in all big games by better forwards but roll along in both competions fine

Brendan, look at Ireland v England at Twickenham - England are nothing special but without a platform Ireland couldn't compete - This has been the Scarlets for many years

Brendan wrote:From an outside prespective I think that even with a poor scrum they should still be able to achive with a good backline in the rabo and also get a second in the HC.

Look at munster and their great forwards who get caught in all big games by better forwards but roll along in both competions fine

Look at how we've been able to beat the Saint's, Perpingnan and quite a few other teams but then have gotten steam rolled by Leicester and Ospreys because our pack just can't compete - we should have beaten Munster a few times, particularly this season when they've played poorly but just haven't been able to turn the screw because for all our flair and fast running forwards with great hands we just haven't been able to get a stable enough platform to play against the best teams. At least not consistently

I think that with a couple of signings/deeveloping players they'd be fine.

Problem is ye have lost a fair few of an ok pack so it has gone from ok to poor.

Is there anyone planned to come in at all or will it be internal promotion.

Brendan wrote:I think that with a couple of signings/deeveloping players they'd be fine.

Problem is ye have lost a fair few of an ok pack so it has gone from ok to poor.

Is there anyone planned to come in at all or will it be internal promotion.

We've been told Nigel is looking to sign between 3-5 players, problem is we don't know if that 3-5 players included development players like Cai Griffiths or are just 3-5 seasoned pros (which we should be able to afford given that we've lost our top earners, S Jones, R Thomas, I Thomas, S Lamont, Lyons & King (previous season) & have got £100k from Morgan)