Dwayne Peel has been labelled a winner and backed to become a major success after being appointed head coach of the Scarlets. The Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum-half will be the number one coach at the Scarlets after they dramatically parted ways with Glenn Delaney less than an hour after their derby win over the Ospreys last weekend. Only three weeks ago they announced Peel was to work underneath Delaney who was to be promoted to the role of director of rugby.

The Scarlets may have sacked head coach Glenn Delaney but they are busy making plans for next season by lining up Argentina Test star Tomas Lezana. Delaney was dismissed on Saturday night with the region having second thoughts over kicking him upstairs to become their director of rugby. Instead, they are kicking him out with Dwayne Peel being given a clear run at things next season with no influence from over his shoulder.

Pieter Scholtz is being lined up for a move from the Scarlets to Wasps next season. The giant South African prop is considering a move across the border following an impressive first season in Welsh rugby. With the Scarlets having signed Wales squad member WillGriff John from Sale Sharks for next season, Scholtz, 27, was considering a number of English and French clubs, but has opted for Coventry-based Wasps.

Dean Ryan was delighted with the attacking threat posed by his Dragons side after they put 50 points on the Scarlets to start their Rainbow Cup campaign with a bang. The men from Rodney Parade ran in seven tries against their Llanelli-based opponents with Wales squad members Jonah Holmes and Aaron Wainwright both scoring twice. Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer and Aneurin Owen were all on the scoreboard too as the Dragons racked up a 52-32 success. “I thought our attack was outstanding and we looked threatening,” said Ryan.

The Welsh regions return to action this weekend when the new Rainbow Cup tournament kicks off with two Welsh derbies. The Dragons were surging when the Guinness Pro 14 came to an end and captain Rhodri Williams is optimistic their charge can continue as he tells Graham Thomas. Rhodri Williams may have lost his position as leader of the Dragons’ West Wales car club – but he’s not ready to lose anything else this season. The scrum-half used to be the senior member of the car share group that ferried west-based players up the M4 to Newport.

Dwayne Peel has spoken of the “special bond” between Scarlets fans and the region after turning his back on Cardiff Blues to return to Llanelli. The former Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum-half Dwayne Peel will go back to his old side as head coach this summer from Irish province Ulster. Peel had agreed a deal to join Cardiff Blues for the 2021-22 season as the man in charge of their attack and signed a contract to that effect.

Scarlets chairman Simon Muderack insists the Welsh regions have been short-changed over their supply of players to Wales’ title-winning Six Nations campaign. The region’s chief has called for a re-think into the financial distributions within Welsh rugby and believes only a re-allocation of resources can enable the game to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Muderack argues the Scarlets have not been compensated properly for their provision of 13 players to Wayne Pivac’s Wales squad this season.

The Scarlets are hoping a new partnership with the New Zealand Rugby Union can help push them into Europe’s rugby elite. The deal is set to involve player exchanges that enable young Welsh talent to sample the most demanding domestic rugby in the world.   When then head coach Brad Mooar left the Scarlets to take up a dream coaching role with the All Blacks last year, just a few months into a three-year deal, it was seen as a significant blow by many.

Glenn Delaney admitted the Scarlets had to “circle the wagons” before they could arrive at their European destination. The head coach praised his side’s resourcefulness and powers of recovery after they overcame a huge 21-point deficit against Connacht to secure their place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup. The Scarlets recovered from an awful first half to beat Connacht 41-36 and cement their place in next season’s main European tournament.

The Scarlets can come close to clinching a Heineken Champions Cup place for next season if they beat Connacht tonight at Parc y Scarlets. It was to have been a comeback game for Rhys Patchell, but the Wales international has a fresh injury, to the disappointment of Dan Jones as he told Graham Thomas. Dan Jones admits Rhys Patchell has “been through hell” and has plenty of sympathy for his Scarlets No.10 rival now Jones has suffered the misery of a concussion injury himself. Jones has the starting spot when the Scarlets hosts Connacht on Monday night in the Scarlets’ final match of the regular Guinness Pro 14 season.

The Scarlets are in Munster on Friday night, where one player will mark a special anniversary. It is a year since Aaron Shingler last played a game, but the clash at Thomond Park sees his return where Glenn Delaney’s side aim to clinch their European spot for next season, as Graham Thomas reports. Aaron Shingler has been described as a Scarlets legend as he prepares to finally return to action after a year of pain and uncertainty. The Wales forward was last seen on a rugby field in March of 2020 when he was on the losing side for Wales against England at Twickenham.

Dwayne Peel will have to break his contract with Cardiff Blues and could face his prospective employers in court, unless a compensation deal can be agreed that allows him to work at the Scarlets. The former Wales scrum-half is at the centre of a messy battle between the two Welsh regions after signing a deal with one, but wanting to now join the other. Currently still coaching at Ulster, Peel’s future has been thrown into uncertainty with the Scarlets interested in bringing their former star back to Llanelli and plucking him from the clutches of the Blues.