Shane Williams believes the Scarlets will be the strongest performing Welsh team in the BKT United Rugby Championship this season. The former Wales wing also feels there will be an opportunity for a number of talented youngsters to break through across the four regions.

Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel has welcomed the confirmation that his team will play the Barbarians this autumn in a fundraising memorial match in honour of Phil Bennett. A year on from his death last summer at the age of 73, the Wales and Llanelli legend has been remembered by the announcement of the September fixture.

Wales U20s scrum-half Archie Hughes has signed a new contract with the Scarlets. Having started his rugby journey with Tenby RFC juniors, Hughes burst onto the senior stage with two tries on his debut in a pre-season game against Nottingham at Parc y Scarlets two years ago.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel has called on his players to use their semi-final defeat in the Challenge Cup as motivation to grow and improve for next season. The Llanelli region were beaten 35-17 by Glasgow Warriors at a packed Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.

Wales prop Wyn Jones has spoken of his admiration for Dwayne Peel in guiding the Scarlets to the threshold of a European final. Jones – who will pack down in the front row when Glasgow visit Parc y Scarlets on Saturday – admits he can’t quite believe how his head coach has dealt with so many obstacles in a campaign like no other.

Wales international Dafydd Jenkins will miss Exeter’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle after receiving a three-week ban. The second-row forward, who has won six caps, was sent off for a dangerous tackle during Chiefs’ Gallagher Premiership victory over Bristol.

Cardiff have offered no explanation to their supporters over what has happened to their director of rugby, Dai Young. The Arms Park region have confirmed that Young will not attend Saturday’s “Judgement Day” fixture against Ospreys at the Principality Stadium but declined to comment on reports the 55-year-old has been suspended.

Ioan Lloyd believes his move to the Scarlets from Bristol can take him to the next level as an attacking talent. The 22-year-old, who has played across the back division during his four-year stint at Ashton Gate, will move to west Wales ahead of next season.

After more than a year away from the international stage, Gareth Davies is sending out a very timely reminder of just why he has 67 Wales caps to his name. He hasn’t appeared for the national team since March 2022 and has missed out on the squads altogether this season. Having been a permanent fixture for the best part of a decade, it has been a new and unwanted experience, one which left him feeling despondent.

The Scarlets will have history, form – and maybe even referee Wayne Barnes – in their favour when they host Clermont Auvergne on Friday, according to the French club’s head coach Christophe Urios. Clermont may have won away at Bristol in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup, but Urios reckons his team’s quarter-final tie at Parc y Scarlets will be much tougher. The match referee is Barnes, the Englishman who is widely regarded as the world’s best, but not an official Urios reckons his team really understand. “Once again, we will not be favorites,” said Urios, looking ahead to a match that is live on S4C.

Steff Evans is the joint leading tryscorer in European rugby this season, has 13 caps for Wales, and is still only 28 – but expects no calls from Warren Gatland. The wing – whose finishing skills helped see off a star-studded Sharks team last week in arguably the best regional result of the season – reckons he won’t be required any more at Test level. It’s a harsh self-judgement, but Evans insists: “That boat has probably sailed for me.

Dwayne Peel believes the Scarlets rolled back the years with their stunning victory over the Sharks but insisted the standards set has to be the blueprint for the future. Peel watched his team overcome a Sharks squad that included 10 Springboks in a 32-20 victory that was a throwback to the streetwise muggings handed out to star-studded visitors to Llanelli in years gone by. Sam Costelow kicked 22 points, including six penalties and converted two tries by Steff Evans as the Scarlets maintained their outside chances of Heineken Cup qualification.