Scarlets sign contract with scrum-half Liam Davies until end of season

It’s a return home for former Scarlets scrum-half Liam Davies after he signed a contract with his home region in West Wales that sees him join the squad at Parc y Scarlets until the end of the 11/12 season.

Davies, a product of the Scarlets Academy, born in Llangennech and educated at Ysgol Y Strade says his ‘delighted’ with the opportunity to return back to the Scarlets shirt – this time at a new rugby home at Parc y Scarlets.

The 25-year-old scrum-half joins the Scarlets to provide experience and cover at a key part of the season for the region following news that Tavis Knoyle will undergo surgery for a shoulder injury and is another boost to the squad when a number of Scarlets players will be called up for international duty with Wales.

The former Wales U21 no9 left the Scarlets in June 2008 to join French club Brive, returned to Wales for a short spell with the Ospreys and was then on loan from the Ospreys to London Welsh before signing for French club Dax in July 2010. Liam Davies had agreed early release from his contract with French club Dax.

Liam Davies said he was pleased to be back on home soil after returning from his French spell: “It’s great to have this opportunity to come back home. I’ve learnt a lot from being involved in rugby in France and it’s been a different type of experience and I just jumped at the chance to be back in a Scarlets shirt and playing my rugby at home in Wales.”

“There are some really promising young players coming through the Scarlets now and it’s good to be back with the boys from our region that I knew when I first started out like Rhys Priestland, Josh Turnbull, Jon Davies, Scott Williams, Ken Owens and others and seeing them progress so quickly and get international honours.

“It’s a very impressive set-up at Parc y Scarlets and the facilities are exactly what this team require to perform at the top level. It’s a bit different from my time at Stradey Park, but I’ve felt quite at home already in training and it’s good I know so many of the boys – there’s been plenty of banter already and you can tell they’re a tight group and there’s a really good atmosphere within the squad.

“I’ll give my all to this opportunity and hopefully pass on some of my wider experience to a group of talented scrum halves already at the Scarlets – Gareth Davies, Rhodri Williams and Aled Davies when he comes back from injury – without doubt all of them have promising futures ahead of them.”

Head of Rugby Nigel Davies, who worked with Liam Davies when he was on a development contract at Parc y Scarlets said: “We have two very impressive young Scarlets scrum-halves in Gareth Davies and Rhodri Williams who are pushing for the jersey right now; however we know that with Tavis out injured and international commitments ahead we needed additional cover in this position.

“The timing has worked really well for us as Liam’s made himself available after the French club he was with had to release a number of players.

“To have the opportunity to bring someone of Liam’s quality, background and experience of the big matches into our squad at this crucial time in our season is very positive.

“He’s training with us now and has already shown how quickly he can fit into our environment and he’s obviously energised and motivated by this opportunity.

“He knows what it means to be a Scarlet – our values and the style and brand of rugby we play and are committed to. This short-term contract has worked well for both the Scarlets and Liam and we welcome him back and look forward to what he can bring to us now for the rest of the season.”