Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel sat down with the media this week ahead of Saturday’s crucial West Wales derby against the Ospreys at Parc y Scarlets.
Here’s what Dwayne had to say . . .
A disappointing loss last weekend, but in terms of the top eight and the nature of the league as it is, do you feel a couple of wins could put you back in the play-off hunt?
DP: “Definitely, it is so tight, a win last weekend could have taken us up to sixth and we have probably dropped as many places with the loss. We need to be accurate this week, we were all frustrated after the game and there is no better fixture this week, a big derby, a big crowd, a big occasion. It is an exciting week to be part of.
“Yes, we have some tough games left but we have shown this year we are able to stay in tough games. This week is pivotal, we have to make sure we are on the right end of the result if we want to kick on for the rest of the season. There is plenty to play for with Europe next week as well. It is nice to be at this part of the season when you are in the mix and hunting hard for stuff. The league being so tight, sides are going to take points off each other and you have two sides going at it on Saturday with exactly that in mind.
What are your thoughts on the form of the Ospreys under Mark Jones?
DP: “They have got momentum and have been playing well and with freedom and look like they are enjoying their rugby. They have changed a bit of their style, are looking to move the ball a lot more and were scoring freely before half-time on Saturday. Mark is a great character, we go back a long way. I am delighted for him as a person, he has worked hard to get that role and it is good to see him doing well, but I am sure he is still a Turk at heart!! We have a reunion of ex-players on Saturday and his name is down on the list of people attending. I hope we can both go there having got one up on him!”
Does the manner of the defeat in Swansea before Christmas still hurt?
DP: “Losing in the last play was a killer – we have had a few of those this season! Hopefully it is in everyone’s back of their minds, not at the forefront, but it is an opportunity for us to put that right this week. When you are ahead and have the foot to the throat you can’t let sides back into the game.”
You have lost a lot of games late on this season, is that a concern?
DP: “For us, we want to compete until the 80th minute and we have done that, those big moments late in games we have not quite grasped as a group. We’ve lost a lot of experience over the last couple of seasons. You put someone like a Foxy (Jonathan Davies) in the middle of everything to say right this is what we are going to do or a Ken (Owens). We’ve lost that type of 200-cap player and we are learning that.”
“We are growing a new leadership group and trying hard with the leaders to develop game drivers and leaders. That’s a work in progress for us. For us it’s about not clamming up when those opportunities present themselves. We want to be bold and we want to try to take the game. We’ve been a mixed bag in that, If I’m honest. We’ve gone hard on some occasions and maybe got a bit nervous on others.”
Is Sam Costelow available this week?
DP: “Sam won’t be available this week, but Blair (Murray) is in the mix. We named him in the side last week, but he wasn’t quite right so we pulled him on Thursday. Sam Wainwright is also back having been a late withdrawal through illness on Saturday. There are also a couple of guys we are monitoring at the moment.”
Is there any latest on your recruitment for next season?
DP: “We are obviously working hard in the background on a number of fronts on recruitment and retention. We are working within the constraints we have.”