Wales stars speak out on summer, coaching changes and the way ahead
THE Scarlets unveiled their bold new away kit at a sunkissed Aberystwyth promenade yesterday with skipper Ken Owens and fellow Wales internationals Rhys Patchell and Steff Evans among those in attendance.
We caught a few minutes with all three to canvass their views on everything from a summer of travels, pre-season toil and what lies ahead in what promises to be an intriguing 2018-19 campaign.
YOU’VE HAD VERY DIFFERENT SUMMERS, HOW HAS IT BEEN?
Ken Owens: “I think it is the first summer off I have had since 2009 without injury.
“It was nice to have a few extra weeks off, I did a bit of travelling, went to New Zealand (for Hadleigh Parkes’ wedding) and I was able to watch a bit of rugby without the pressure of touring and things like that - it was good to see the boys put in an outstanding shift in Argentina.” Rhys Patchell: “The summer was awesome, it was nice to get a sixweek break and see a cool amount of the world. Ken and I had a lovely romantic week in Auckland!
“We had a great time, and I am very thankful to Parkesy and Suzy for inviting us along. It gave us an awesome chance to see a really cool part of the world and am thankful to share their day with them as well.” Steff Evans: “Obviously, I was devastated to come home from the tour (because of a knee injury), but being fit was my priority after that and the rehab has gone better than I thought It would.
“Looking back, it wasn’t pretty to see, but when I came back and went to see the doctor he told me I had a bit of a lucky escape.
“But I did manage to get away, a couple of weeks in Los Angeles and San Francisco before getting back into the rehab.”
THE BIG TALKING POINT HAS BEEN THE APPOINTMENT OF WAYNE PIVAC AS WALES COACH FOLLOWING NEXT YEAR’S WORLD CUP. HAS ANYTHING CHANGED AT PARC Y SCARLETS?
KO: “I think it makes it easier to know where people stand.
“We know it is Wayne’s last year, but his full focus is going to be with the Scarlets day to day and as players there are no questions for us. It is just job as normal and he is as enthusiastic as ever to leave the Scarlets with another trophy.
“This is his fifth season now and you have seen the transition and the change at the Scarlets in that time, he has driven that. He has made the Scarlets a serious side again.”
RP: “The fact that the head coach won’t be there in 12 months’ time is neither here nor there.
“The job is now and be as good as what we can be this week regardless of what happens in 12 months time. That will take of itself, that is not for the players to concern themselves with.
“We rock up, we do our job and hopefully come the business end of the season we will be there or thereabouts once again and we will see where that takes us.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled when I woke up in Canada and found out that he had got the job.
“His record speaks for himself. He has had a lot of success at provincial level in New Zealand and by year three at the Scarlets he took us to a final that we won and in year four we beat most of the big boys in Europe. So, good luck to him. The boys are thrilled for him.”
SE: “Wayne has said he wants to concentrate on the Scarlets and that is the players’ view as well. I was happy for him when I heard, he was the best candidate.”
SO, HOW HAS PRE-SEASON TRAINING BEEN?
KO: “Luckily the fitness staff haven’t seen Denham Avenue (a steep hill near the old Stradey Park), or the dunes down in Burry Port or Pembrey Country Park so we are stuck in Parc y Scarlets, which has been nice.
“As I said, the break has freshened the body and mind up and it has been nice to come into pre-season in half-tidy shape.”
RP: “I don’t mind pre-season, it is what it is, it is an opportunity to get better isn’t it? It is nice to be able to work on things without the pressure of a game on the weekend.”
SE: “I missed out on most of it, so I am pretty happy there!
“But no, the rehab has been good. I was back training fully with the squad this week and am hoping to get a pre-season game in before the start of the PRO14 season.”
TALKING OF THE PRO14, SURELY LEINSTER ARE THE SIDE TO BEAT AGAIN, BUT WHO COULD BE THIS SEASON’S DARK HORSES?
KO: “Of course, Leinster are. As I said after both games (Champions Cup semi-final and PRO14 final) last season, you get beaten by a better sides on some days and we did. We have learnt a lot from those games.
“As for dark horses. Edinburgh were there and thereabouts last year, we snuck ahead of them by a couple of points in our conference.
“They have really developed a strong set-piece game under Richard Cockerill, but they play a bit of rugby as well. I think they are one to look out for in our Conference and it will be interesting to see how the other Welsh regions go with new coaches and a lot of new signings at he Dragons.”
RP: “Leinster are the benchmark on the basis that they won both competitions. You are always looking to push yourself and see how good you can be and I suppose they will be the team who everyone across Europe measures themselves against.
“As for other sides, a lot of sides have recruited really well considering how competitive the market is.
“It is a league where if you take two or three wins together and you can climb that table quickly as we found before the conferences and as the Blues found last season after a slowish start.
“They picked up some steam and found themselves qualifying for Europe.”
SE: “It has been a big talking point for us after the final and European semi.
“Leinster set the bar pretty high last season, we have just got to get to that standard and if we want to compete this year that is where we need to get at. We also know other teams are going to know what the Scarlets are about, more than last season and the season before.
“I’m also expecting the competition in Wales to be stronger with the recruitment that has been made. There are going to be some intense