Scarlets sign up trio with World Cup calls in mind

HE Scarlets have combated the absence of an entire back division during the World Cup by bolstering their squad with three new additions.

Former Dragons centre Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Rhys Jones – the son of ex-Sale coach Kingsley – and former Dragons and London Welsh fly-half Aled Thomas have been brought on board.

The trio will help Nigel Davies’ men cope with the loss of several key players during the opening two months of the campaign.

The Scarlets currently have seven of their back division in Wales’ World Cup training squad, while wing Sean Lamont looks certain to make the trip with Scotland.

With Kiwi playmaker Regan King having left for Clermont Auvergne, the region’s problems behind the scrum are compounded by a shoulder injury to Gareth Maule, who is currently recovering from an operation and not scheduled to return until mid-September.

Carmarthen-born Gomer-Davies, 28, was released by the Dragons at the end of last season after four years at Rodney Parade. He had a previous spell at Northampton and is also a Wales sevens squad member.

So, too, is Jones, who can play at fly-half or full-back. The 23-year-old age-grade international played under his father at Sale and more recently has had stays at the Blues, Cornish Pirates and Newport in the Principality Premiership.

As for Thomas, he will again provide cover at fly-half and full-back, particularly if Stephen Jones, Rhys Priestland and Morgan Stoddart are all selected to travel to New Zealand.

A World Cup sevens winner in 2009 – famously scoring the winning try in the final in Dubai – Thomas came through the Scarlets academy system before joining the Dragons and then heading to Old Deer Park in 2008.

The Scarlets, meanwhile, have been invited to play French giants Clermont Auvergne in a pre-season match in France next month. It could mean an early reunion with former centre King.

THE Scarlets have combated the absence of an entire back division during the World Cup by bolstering their squad with three new additions.
Former Dragons centre Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Rhys Jones – the son of ex-Sale coach Kingsley – and former Dragons and London Welsh fly-half Aled Thomas have been brought on board.
The trio will help Nigel Davies’ men cope with the loss of several key players during the opening two months of the campaign.
The Scarlets currently have seven of their back division in Wales’ World Cup training squad, while wing Sean Lamont looks certain to make the trip with Scotland.

With Kiwi playmaker Regan King having left for Clermont Auvergne, the region’s problems behind the scrum are compounded by a shoulder injury to Gareth Maule, who is currently recovering from an operation and not scheduled to return until mid-September.
Carmarthen-born Gomer-Davies, 28, was released by the Dragons at the end of last season after four years at Rodney Parade. He had a previous spell at Northampton and is also a Wales sevens squad member.
So, too, is Jones, who can play at fly-half or full-back. The 23-year-old age-grade international played under his father at Sale and more recently has had stays at the Blues, Cornish Pirates and Newport in the Principality Premiership.
As for Thomas, he will again provide cover at fly-half and full-back, particularly if Stephen Jones, Rhys Priestland and Morgan Stoddart are all selected to travel to New Zealand.
A World Cup sevens winner in 2009 – famously scoring the winning try in the final in Dubai – Thomas came through the Scarlets academy system before joining the Dragons and then heading to Old Deer Park in 2008.
The Scarlets, meanwhile, have been invited to play French giants Clermont Auvergne in a pre-season match in France next month. It could mean an early reunion with former centre King.

From the western mail today. what do scarlet fans think of these signings?

I can't see RGD making much impact as he struggled at Dave with us and was behind Riley and Smith.

Will Scott Williams go to the WC?

Not brilliant signings, but they should all be able to do a decent enough job for us at the start of the season, and they'll be desperately needed. It's a blow that Maule won't be fit until mid-sept for us though, he was brilliant for us last season. glad that we've got 2 to cover fly half/full back as I reckon that's where we will be weakest at the start of the season. Fingers crossed they fit in well at Y Parc.

Unlike the Scarlets. I thought they would have tapped into Llanelli and their academy prospects.

We'll be using our academy prospects such as Rheon James, Nic Reynolds etc NJ, but the fact is we're facing the prospect of losing our entire back line for the World cup so we need some extra cover. Tis good that we've got Aled Thomas back with us, who came through our academy system too

think we would have been ok at fullback with dan newton, dan evans and liam williams also impressing for the wales u20. also is fenby back from injury? RGD will add a bit of experience to the midfield, however would like to see Reynolds given more game time. really not sure about rhys jones and aled thomas as both don't seem up to regional rugby. however to be fair to gareth jenkins he has recruited well for the scarlets so far with unknown players (ben morgan from merthyr & fenby from newcastle) so hopefully these three players will work out well for us.

rugby,

DO you think WIlliams will go?

I know you are almost certain to lose Knoyle, Priestland, Jones and Lamont but unfortunately I don't think Williams will go.

Even so the loss of those four coupled with injury to Maule and King going to France could mean a difficult start to the season for you guys.

Bedford - not sure on Williams, guess it depends on how well he plays in the warm up matches if he gets another chance.

I can see the following going: Knoyle, Stephen Jones, Rhys Priestland, John Davies, Sean Lamont, George North and Morgan Stoddart. Add to that the Scarlets have lost King and Maule is injured we have very few backs!

pioden - I believe Fenby is back in training so fingers crossed he's fit enough to start the season.

We'll have Gareth Davies, Dan Newton, Dan Evans, Lee Williams, Rheon James, Andy Fenby and Nic Reynolds (and possibly Scott Williams) availabe to us at the start of the season, so these 3 new signings were crucial.

Interesting the the WM have come out with that before the Scarlets or Beeb have anything about it.

I believe that Jones is meant to be on one of those sign for a region, but play for the sevens deals, so I doubt we will see too much of him. Aled will probably get some game time during the RWC, 6Ns and LV=. But RGD seems like a joke signing to me. He has been talked up a few times int he past and never really impressed. I would have thought that we could have put together enough players from the region to do the job better than him. We could have played the likes of Reynolds, James, and even Ajuwa in the centre.

rugbt,

Did forget about JD2 and yeah Notrh and Stoddard will go though not as centres (though like idea of North as centre).

Like some of you say you don't think Gomer-Davies is up to Regional standard, I don't think Fenby is from all that I've seen of him. I also remember his pathetic attempt at a tackle on SBW who just seem to glide through him like butter. He tries to play the Scarlet way in attack but usually it results in errors.
Rheon Jones is the 18 year old who impressed for the U20's this season is he not? He and Scott Williams would be a good midfield (sometimes I get the latter confused with Nic Reynolds). Scarlets seem to have a non-stop conveyor belt of backline players.

Nottins - the interesting thing for me is the conveyor belt being mainly the centres Gavin Evans, Jon Davies, Scott Williams, Nic Reynolds, Rheon James all since Mr King signed for us.

SS - Ajuwa has been released by the Scarlets I believe. I'm not sure about Gomer-Davies, I don't think he's spectacular, but he should be able to do a decent enough job for us before the internationals come back.

Bedford - ah yeah, didn't mean to list them down as centres, I was just typing them off the top of my head!

NJ - Fenby was looking really good at the start of the season until he was sidelined by injury. If he can find that form again it'll be great for the Scarlets. And yeah Rheon James is the one who was recently playing in the U20's WC, he's absolutely huge (a bit like George North). Not quite sure how the Scarlets are finding all of these young players to be honest but long may it continue!

SS - do you believe that all to be down to just Regan King?

rugbydream... - Yes Rheon looks as though he carries a lot of muscle, he was bulging out of that tight Wales jersey. I think he and more U20's should be given priority at the starting point of next season at their Regions.
It's not like JD2 is a small lad either, same can be said about Scott Williams. I can see Fenby was trying but for me it resulted in to many errors. I was never impressed by his erratic play and I can't picture it changing for the better.

Never been a RGD fan and I'm pretty glad he's off our hands. He is dire, especially for somebody with international ambitions (as Paul Turner brought up, although he didn't go as far as to say RGD is dire).

Dreamer - I had a feeling Joe was going/had gone, but I do believ he would be a better option than RGD. That said I was not too keen of Maule signing yet he has been our player of hte season in my mind. And I guess Nigel knows a little bit more about what makes a good centre than most of us.

Nottins - Not purely down to Regan alone, but his presence must have been a great help to the lads learning the trade from a skillful centre as opposed to a bash merchant.

nottins: know what you mean about fenby being erratic & error prone. but he's a reasonably big guy, who has the ability to beat a player one on one. think he's still finding his feet at this level, but worth persevering with.

producing talented backs has never been a problem west of the loughor bridge. we mainly struggle to produce a steady stream of big ball carrying forwards, apart from the exception of scott quinnell.

does anyone know the situation with deacon manu? heard at the end of last season he was going back to NZ. however haven't heard anything since.

just a thought, would it have been an idea to get matthew moragn on loan to the scarlets for the WC period just to expose him to the pro 12? i am sure he would enjoy running through many clubs 2nd sides?

morgan will be pushing for an ospreys place so no chance of him going on loan. Although young sam davies is supposedly the next big hope at 10 for the ospreys and the turks have their own whiz kid in jordan williams.

None of these 3 impress me much but neither did maule untill he went west so maybe the scarlets can get the best out of them

Rhodri gomer Davies always talked a good game, but rarely played one. I heard a while back the scarlets were interested and didn't really think personally they'd be interested. He'd make a decent prem player, but youhave to winder about a player who can't get in the tram ahead of Riley! I wish the dragons had never signed him as we should have kept maule and dollman.
Aled Thomas again i's only a prem player IMO and as soon as the WC i's over, I can't see either of these players making any impact.
As risca said RGD made himself look like a right plum. Twice coming out in the press stating he wanted to make a play for a welsh call up.
I'm just surprised goner Davies could hold onto the pen long enough to sign his contract!!
Never mind. The pinnacle of professionalism himself, Rhys Thomas will be off your books at the end of the season. Don't think there'll be many teams rushing out to offer him £180,000!!!

ManOfGwent - If Rhys Thomas coninues in the form he was in last season we would be muppets to let him go. To be honest I think he was unlucky he got injured otherwise he may have had Scott Andres place in the welsh squad.

Scarlet. I don't think Thomas is one of gatland's favourites. You'll have to keep an eye on him and gormless Davies when the scarlets travel to Italy!!!
I can't see thomasbeing offered anywhere near the same amount of money again. He should have been a welsh regular. He's a big bloke, great in the loose, but can't scrummage. If he showed some dedication instead of spending his time getting lashed and smoking like a chimney he'd been going to the WC. He's straight out of the Chris wyatt school of rugby.

manofgwent wrote:He's straight out of the Chris wyatt school of rugby.

Ah that may be why I have taken to him.

They're good for the local economy.

not sure if it's been reported but looks like we've signed a srumhalf too. USA international Robbie Shaw to cover while tavis is away with wales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_Shaw

apparently he checked into llwyn hotel last week. Scarlets use the place before they find accommodation.

I hope your wrong on that. Signing an international scrum half from the US would not be something to celebrate, but going on the fact he is coming over to cover during the RWC then that means he aint even up to USA international standards. Or have i interpreted that wrong?

Spiderman:

I'm also hoping it's not true….but was told he is being brought in to cover gareth davies while tavis is away. Must be better/ cheaper options within the region!

"If he showed some dedication instead of spending his time getting lashed and smoking like a chimney he'd been going to the WC. He's straight out of the Chris wyatt school of rugby.."

Haha! That is true. Chris 'the big unit' Wyatt even goes out on a wednesday (student night) when he's back from France visiting.

"I'm also hoping it's not true….but was told he is being brought in to cover gareth davies while tavis is away. Must be better/ cheaper options within the region!."

Agree with this too. Seems to be a trend setting in amongst the Regions for signing mediocre to below mediocre scrum-halves.

I can see the use of signing a scrum half to back up Gareth Davies during the RWC, but seeing as we only half two scrum halves in the squad right now (Knoyle and Davies) I would have thought that we would have to bring in another scrum half on a perminant basis rather than just for the RWC.

Wasn't Warren Furry released by Leeds this summer? He would have been a better Welsh alternative.

think the two davies boys at 9 are both injured ?

Don't think Gareth Davies is injured at present. Not sure about Aled Davies though. Lee Williams can also cover 9 too if needs be.

pioden gorllewin wrote:Don't think Gareth Davies is injured at present. Not sure about Aled Davies though. Lee Williams can also cover 9 too if needs be.

Aled Davies is injured, that's why he didn't play at the under-20's world cup, also the reason why they may have signed this new one.

Pioden - I was thinking about little Lee as an option the other day, maybe he will be tried out there over the pre-season.