Flanagan relishing his dream role
SCARLETS coach Dai Flanagan say he’s loving working under Wales great Stephen Jones and reckons there are exciting times ahead for the west Wales region.
Former Cardiff Blues, Ospreys and Pontypridd flyhalf Flanagan has been working with the Scarlets’ backs and academy players under the guidance of backs coach Jones, who re-joined the club at the start of last season.
The return of Jones, who made more than 300 appearances for the club over 14 years, has helped lure the likes of Wales internationals Jonathan Davies and Rhys Patchell to Parc y Scarlets this summer.
It means the Scarlets could field a mouth-watering backline which includes Gareth Davies, Patchell, Scott Williams, Davies, Liam Williams, DTH van der Merwe and Johnny McNicholl this season.
Of the stellar line-up, Flanagan picked out 23year-old Patchell as one of the players he is most looking forward to working with.
“It’s a perfect role for me working alongside someone like Stephen,” said Flanagan, who hung up his boots in 2014.
“I’m learning off someone with an incredible amount of experience, he’s passing things on to me and I am improving all the time.
“Working with players of the calibre of Scott Williams and Jonathan Davies is very exciting.
“I’m looking forward to working with Rhys Patchell because I’ve heard he’s one of the hardest working players in the game.
“It’s not by accident Rhys is at the top of his game at the moment.
“Rhys has made a big decision to come to the Scarlets, no doubt to work with someone with the knowledge of Stephen and if I can learn off that it will be better for all the young players coming through.
“The pathway through the Scarlets will be all the better for it.”