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Scarlets announce three signings, including a recruit from New Zealand
Scarlets have further strengthened their squad for the 2019/20 campaign with the signings of second row Danny Drake, scrum-half Dane Blacker and prop Alex Jeffries.
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Drake joins from New Zealand provincial side North Harbour. The 24-year-old lock has been a member of the development and wider squad at Super Rugby side the Blues. He is also the current captain of Northcote, who are the reigning North Harbour Club Championship winners.
He said: “I’m really excited to touch down on Welsh soil, fizzing to get stuck into the Scarlets culture and give it my all for the club and its supporters”.
Scrum-half Blacker arrives from Cardiff Blues. A product of the successful Coleg y Cymoedd, he came through the academy system at the Arms Park and was capped at Wales under-18s and under-20s level.
The 20-year-old has played senior rugby for Pontypridd, made his Champions Cup debut as a replacement against Saracens last season and has featured for Wales sevens on the World Series circuit. He has played Guinness PRO14 rugby for the Blues and during a brief loan spell with the Dragons.
?? NEWS | Scarlets strengthen squad with three new players.
Welcome Danny Drake, Dane Blacker & Alex Jeffries #inthepack?? NEWYDDION | Scarlets yn cryfhau’r garfan gyda tri cytundeb newydd #ynypac
Full story ? https://t.co/7nz7Q76Ey7 pic.twitter.com/xqh18kVGtV
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) June 20, 2019
Blacker will form part of an impressive pool of scrum-halves at Parc y Scarlets, battling it out with Gareth Davies, Kieran Hardy and Jonathan Evans for the No9 jersey following the weekend departure of Sam Hidalgo-Clyne. He said: “I’m delighted to sign my first professional contract with the Scarlets. It’s an honour to be a part of an exciting club and I am looking forward to the coming season.”
Tighthead prop Jeffries makes the short move from the Ospreys. The 24-year-old made his debut for Newport as a teenager and after impressing for the Black and Ambers in the Welsh Premiership joined the Ospreys in 2016. He is another player who has been capped at Wales under-18s and under-20s level.
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He made 18 appearances during his three seasons with the Ospreys, scoring two tries. He said: “I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my rugby career at the Scarlets.
? "I'm really excited to touch down on Welsh soil, fizzing to get stuck into the Scarlets culture and give it my all for the club and supporters." – Danny Drake #inthepack pic.twitter.com/h4rKIgflPa
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) June 20, 2019
“I’m excited to work alongside a talented group players and coaches and the opportunity to make my own mark at the club. I am also looking forward to developing my game and with the right opportunities showing what I am capable of.”
The signing of the trio comes on the back of a glut of re-signings by the Scarlets. Full-back Johnny McNicholl and Wales stars Jonathan Davies, Rob Evans and Ken Owens have penned new deals, along with Werner Kruger, Dan Davis, Dan Jones, Paul Asquith, Tom Prydie, Steffan Hughes and rising talents Ioan Nicholas, Tom Phillips, Daf Hughes, Javan Sebastian, Rhys Fawcett, Shaun Evans and Steff Thomas. Scarlets have also signed second row Sam Lousi from Super Rugby side the Hurricanes.
Scarlets general manager of rugby Jon Daniels said: “Danny, Dane and Alex are talented young players who will be excellent additions to our squad.
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? “I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my rugby career. I’m excited to work alongside a talented group of players and coaches and the opportunity to make my own mark at the club." – Alex Jeffries #inthepack pic.twitter.com/oKiaIg64Kk
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) June 20, 2019
“We have worked hard to ensure we have put together a group of players capable of competing for silverware and re-signing players of the calibre of Johnny McNicholl, Jon Davies, Ken Owens, Rob Evans and others have been crucial to that.
“We are happy with the strength of the squad we have put together, but are always open to adding further players if they are the quality and right fit that we are looking for to move the Scarlets forwards. We are looking forward to welcoming the boys back for pre-season next week.”
WATCH: Behind the scenes footage from RugbyPass of the Scarlets when they contested the 2018 Guinness PRO14 final in Dublin against Leinster
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments