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Scarlets confirm 12 players leaving region, including three internationals

By Sam Smith
(Photo by Getty Images)

Scarlets have confirmed the 12 players that will leave the PRO14 region at the end of the season, including three internationals.

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In a statement the club said: “Normally, there would be a presentation in front of the fans on the final home match of the campaign, but unfortunately due to ongoing Covid restrictions that can’t take place. Instead, the players had their own farewell ceremony following Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup match against Cardiff Blues.”

Scarlets executive chairman Simon Muderack said: “Unfortunately, every year we have to say goodbye to players who have contributed so much to the Scarlets during their time here and I know our supporters would love to be here at Parc y Scarlets to say their own farewells and thanks in person.

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“We have Werner, who is retiring after a wonderful career; Jake, Ed and Paul are heading back to Australia, while others are taking up new opportunities and we wish them all well and thank them for what they have done as Scarlets. Diolch yn fawr i chi gyd.”

Jake Ball
After 134 appearances in the second row for the Scarlets over nine seasons, Jake is heading home to his family in Australia.

Werner Kruger
The Springbok tight-head prop is hanging up his boots after racking up more than a century of appearances for the Scarlets to add to the same milestone he achieved in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup. Werner joined the Scarlets in 2016

Paul Asquith
Paul is returning to Australia after four years with the Scarlets. The former Australia sevens player has played 79 matches, scoring 17 tries.

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Uzair Cassiem
The Springbok No. 8 has spent three years in Llanelli, making 56 appearances for the club and endearing himself as a big fans favourite during his time in West Wales.

Dylan Evans
The Welsh-qualified Australian born prop has played 56 matches since his arrival in 2015. Dylan has been on loan with Glasgow Warriors in recent months.

Ed Kennedy
The Australian-born back-rower has played 40 matches over three seasons at Parc y Scarlets. Like Paul, the 26-year-old is heading home to Australia at the end of the season.

Tom Phillips
Tom, a former Wales U20s captain, has played 27 matches for the Scarlets since making his senior debut in 2015.

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Jac Morgan
The back-rower has signed a contract with the Ospreys, Jac has played 20 matches since making his debut in a European Challenge Cup tie against London Irish in 2019.

Osian Knott
Osian, capped by Wales U20s at centre, has signed a contract with the Ospreys ahead of next season.

Pieter Scholtz
Signed in November as injury cover, the South African tight-head prop has played eight matches in Scarlets colours

Joe Miles
The back-rower has made two senior appearances since joining the Scarlets in 2019.

Will Homer
Signed from Jersey at the start of the season, Will has made 10 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign.

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J
Jon 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 4 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 8 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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