Scarlets star Davies to miss final two matches
SCARLETS’ turnover king James Davies is expected to be fit in time for Wales’ summer tour. Wales have yet to pick their squad for a trip that will feature Tests against Tonga and Samoa and the competition at openside is intense, with Thomas Young, Ollie Griffiths and Ellis Jenkins also in the frame.
Davies is currently sidelined by the shoulder injury he picked up in his side’s Judgement Day clash with Newport Gwent Dragons. He will miss the Scarlets’ final regular-season games against Connacht and the Ospreys, but his region hope he will be available should they make the Guinness Pro12 semi-finals on the weekend of May 19-21.
“James Davies isn’t fit at this point,” said coach Wayne Pivac ahead of the game with Connacht in Galway on Saturday.
“We are hopeful that if we are lucky enough to qualify for the top four, then he will be in a race against time for a semi-final.
“Hopefully, he’ll be all right by then. “It is improving. “He’s feeling much better this week, but these things take a little bit of time. There’s no surgery required at this stage.
“Hopefully, he can rehab and be all right for the semi.”
Even with their embarrassment of riches at No. 7, Wales would surely benefit from having the multi-skilled Davies at their disposal for the Tests with Tonga and Samoa in June.
The 26-year-old is top of the Pro12 turnover chart with 27 steals of opposition ball this season, while he has also made 214 tackles.
Jenkins and Griffiths picked up man-of-the-match awards on Judgement Day, but Pivac says Davies has been delivering consistently all season.
“I look at those sorts of things as form across the season, not just the last couple of weeks, although the last couple of weeks before a selection is always fresh on selectors’ minds,” said the New Zealander.
“To me, James has been the inform No. 7, one of the in-form sevens in the competition.
“He has played very, very well. He’s had a lot of man-of-the-match performances, selected by other people and within our team he’s hitting the defensive player of the season.
“Within our ranks we rate him very highly — what he can do with the ball, what he can do at the breakdown and what he can do defensively.
“He’s improved as a player and I’d love to see him go on the tour, but that’s out of my hands.”
Pivac also believes the Scarlets have a strong candidate to lead the Wales squad this summer in Scott Williams.
“Scott has captained Wales before and he has been the vice-captain of this side for the past two years, and in the first year he led the side for a lengthy period with Ken Owens out with a neck injury.
“As I say he’s also been Wales captain.
“I’d love to see him given that title. I think he’d do a good job,” added the Scarlets chief.