Prydie set for pivotal role at Scarlets

TOM Prydie owes a great deal to the Scarlets and plans to repay them by getting their Champions Cup qualification hopes back on track in the crucial Six Nations period.

Wayne Pivac’s side have been ravaged by injuries and sit fourth in Conference B of the PRO14 which leaves them in danger of missing out on Europe’s top competition next season.

With Pivac losing 12 players to Wales’ Six Nations squad, Prydie will be one of the more experienced campaigners in a crucial run of domestic fixtures.

“It’s been the best decision of my career to come to the Scarlets and work with Wayne and Stephen (Jones),” said the former Ospreys and Dragons wing.

“When I first came here, they told me they could improve my game and they’ve delivered. We’ve got big games coming up against Leinster and then Benetton. We need to target these games to push up the table. It’s about getting back to our old selves by scoring tries and having fun.

“We’ve struggled due to injuries, but we’ve started to turn our season around with an excellent performance against Leicester and a good win against the Dragons.

“It’s about moving forward now and improving on our performance.”

Prydie has gained a whole new perspective on rugby following the birth of his son William last week.

The 26-year-old insists having a child will allow him to achieve a better balance on and off the field.

“It’s our first baby,” he said. “It’s going to be tough with the sleepless nights, but all the boys have been through it. I think it will improve my performance.

“Sometimes, I think about rugby too much and can be a bit grumpy in the house. My partner understands that, but now I have the little one I have to switch off and focus on that.”