Scarlets boost the pack with prop factor

Scarlets can today announce the addition of two props to the squad for the forthcoming season which will bolster the pack and add more depth to the squad at Parc y Scarlets.

The West Wales region is delighted to announce that Peter Edwards and Wyn Jones have both signed new contracts to join the Scarlets for the 2014-15 season and going forward and will complement the already strong front row which includes Wales internationals Samson Lee, Rhodri Jones, Ken Owens and Emyr Phillips and up and coming loosehead Rob Evans.

Under the guidance of Forwards Coach Danny Wilson the Scarlets pack have become a force to be reckoned with and with the addition of Assistant Coach Wayne Pivac at the Parc next season the region will look to build on the good work already put in place.

Speaking of the signings Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “We are pleased to be welcoming Pete back here to the Scarlets and welcoming Wyn in on a full time basis. We’ve worked hard to build dominance in our front five under Danny (Wilson) and it’s pleasing to see the pack go well and receive well deserved plaudits. He has driven and obtained the highest of standards from the forwards and has given the Scarlets a different mentality for set piece which as a team we’ve benefited from.

“We’ve all been really impressed with Wyn this season while he’s been with us on a part time basis, he’s not looked out of place in our training environment and he’s performed particularly well for Llandovery in the Premiership. He has a lot of potential and many of the natural ingredients needed to make himself into a top class prop in the years to come.”

Peter Edwards, 33, burst onto the Scarlets scene in 2010-11 making his debut against Benetton Treviso, makes a return to the region after a season with Oxford based London Welsh. The popular tighthead, born in Shrewsbury, appeared 40 times in a Scarlets shirt over three seasons with his most notable season in 2011-12 when he appeared 18 times for his region.

Edwards said: “The opportunity to make a return to West Wales and to rejoin the Scarlets was one I couldn’t turn down. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with London Welsh and the move there ensured I continued to play a good standard of rugby.

“It is a massive honour to represent the Scarlets and it’s going to be great to return to the club that gave me my first opportunity at professional rugby. I live in the region with my young family and have a lot of great and close friends there, not only the guys in the squad but also in our rugby community in West Wales, and making the move home is something we’re really looking forward to.”

In the ascendancy of his professional career is young loosehead prop Wyn Jones who has shown great potential for Scarlets feeder club Llandovery in recent years. Llandovery born and bred Jones joined the Drovers at the age of 7 and has gone on to make 61 appearances scoring 7 tries.

Jones, 22, has made two appearances for the Scarlets during 2013-14 coming off the replacements bench in the LV= Cup fixtures against Gloucester and London Irish.

Awarded a full regional development contract loosehead prop Jones said that he’s looking forward to having the opportunity to further develop as a player. He said: “I am grateful to the Scarlets for handing me the opportunity and hopefully it will help me develop as a player.

“Having been born and raised in the region I’ve been a Scarlets supporter all my life and it’s an honour to have been offered a development contract. Becoming a professional rugby player was always an aspiration of mine and this will be an opportunity for me to build on what I’ve learned to this point with Llandovery.

“I’ve followed players like Iestyn Thomas and Phil John who were an inspiration in my early years and it has helped to see local players such as Emyr Phillips develop through the regional system as well as Pete (Edwards) at Llandovery and wished to follow in their footsteps.”