Scarlets invest in Welsh talent as Owens signs new deal at Parc y Scarlets

Scarlets and Wales hooker Ken Owens has extended his contract to stay at Parc y Scarlets as part of the region’s ambition to retain core Welsh players within their squad.

Committed Scarlet Owens, who has appeared an impressive 135 times in a Scarlets shirt with 25 points to his name has committed his future to the Scarlets as a senior figure in the squad as the region looks to build and strengthen its pack.

A significant contract signing for the Scarlets, Ken Owens, 26, is one of a number of key Scarlets players in their international ascendancy who have come through the Scarlets development system with Owens starting out his regional rugby career as part of the Scarlets Academy aged 18.

Owens joined the region in 2004 experiencing Scarlets and Wales age-grade rugby and gained international honours at U19 level during the five match Grand Slam winning for Wales in the 2005/6 season. In February 2007, he lined up as a member of the newly formed Wales U20s and scored a try in Wales first encounter in the 2007 Six Nations against Ireland.

The experienced hooker now has 14 international caps getting his first call up to the Wales 2010 Six Nations squad. He was a member of the 2011 Rugby World Cup squad and made his debut for Wales on 26 September 2011 against Namibia as a second half replacement. His first start for Wales came in the 2012 Six Nations Championships against England at Twickenham, in which Wales secured the Triple Crown, on their way to the Grand Slam.

Owens, was born and bred in the Scarlets region and is one of Carmarthen’s most popular and well-known rugby faces. A former pupil of Ysgol Gyfun Bro Myrddin, the same school as Scarlets international colleague outside half Rhys Priestland attended, Owens started his rugby career at a young age with Carmarthen Athletic Under 8’s. His sister Vicky is also an international with Wales Women.

He, like a handful of his Wales and Scarlets colleagues including Jonathan Davies, George North, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams, Aaron Shingler, Josh Turnbull, Rhodri Jones and Liam Williams are examples of the rugby development system working in Wales.

Scarlets Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “It was important to have secured Ken for the future as a key player to build our squad around. We are delighted that someone of his ability, experience and with genuine passion for our region has committed to remain with us in the seasons to come.

“He has been a committed Scarlet throughout and goes into his 8th season with us next year, having shown all the qualities as a player that we want to retain and build throughout our squad; he works hard, is ambitious, competitive and works well within the Scarlets team dynamic and sets high standards for himself and others. He has fought hard to get into the international stage and deserves the positive recognition he is currently getting for his role within the Wales national squad.

“Given the current climate, it says a lot about Ken’s loyalty to our region and understanding of what we want to achieve as a Scarlets squad and rugby environment. It was important for Ken to stay at the Scarlets to further his career within our set-up as somewhere where he knows he will play a crucial role going forward.”

Easterby said it was key to ensure experience and knowledge of the region was retained in the make-up of the Scarlets squad next season and beyond. “With so many of our players now committed to Wales, we have to bolster the squad with players from outside our region in some key areas to maintain our competitiveness during international phases, however, it is equally important that we retain our Welsh talent and maintain consistency and continuity in our team.

“Ken is a key figure for us in terms of seniority, knowledge and understanding of our region and community.

“He has grown-up in Scarlets rugby and is a great example of our development pathway working – coming from our Academy system and then to senior rugby at the Scarlets. He plays with loyalty to his local roots with a strong sense of Scarlets character and spirit.”

On his extended contract with the Scarlets Ken Owens said: “I’m delighted to be staying at the Scarlets – the region that I grew up in, where I feel at home and that has fully supported my rugby career to date. I look forward to pushing on with my ambitions at both regional and international level by continuing to play my rugby in Wales.

“We have a great team ethic at Parc y Scarlets, the boys all work hard for each other and because so many of the players have grown-up together in rugby we’re a close-knit group.

“There’s a strong spirit in this team and the players in West Wales know what it means to wear the Scarlets shirt and have a strong sense of community, given our great heritage.

“There is plenty to look forward to and I am pleased to be committed to Scarlets rugby now as competition and some depth in key positions builds in our squad. The boys have done well in recent weeks to keep us in the top four of the RaboDirect PRO12 and thanks to their hard work we have an exciting finish to the league season when we return to Parc y Scarlets.

“We have a first-class rugby environment at Parc y Scarlets to train and play at and I’m just happy to be staying and grateful to all the Scarlets coaches I’ve worked with for the opportunities and support I have been given to date.”