Dwayne Peel will head into the United Rugby Championship run-in with a king-sized Scarlets problem — a 22-strong injury list that is imperilling the Welsh region’s bid to finish in the top eight and qualify for the play-offs.
Some of the bumps are worse than others, but the casualties include 12 internationals.
It’s a deep concern for the Scarlets head coach, who saw four more of his squad pick up injuries in the shock 38-27 home defeat by the Dragons on Saturday evening. Joe Roberts, Sam Costelow and Blade Thomson sustained head knocks, while Liam Williams damaged a leg. The in-form Sam Lousi, outstanding the previous two games against Cardiff, had pulled out of the match after hurting himself during the captain’s run.
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The previous week the Scarlets had seen Wyn Jones and Johnny McNicholl sustain knee injuries in the 49-14 win over Cardiff at the Arms Park, while Carwyn Tuipulotu has a foot problem and Tom Rogers is off limits amid ankle trouble.
The list of internationals on the casualty list at the time of writing covers Jones, McNicholl, Rogers, Scott Williams, Rhys Patchell, Samson Lee, Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny, Elias, Liam Williams, Lousi and Thomson. You can read more about what's happening with Halfpenny here.
The complete list of those unavailable to Peel because of injuries runs thus: Wyn Jones (knee), Johnny McNicholl (knee), Carwyn Tuipulotu (foot), Tom Rogers (ankle), Kemsley Mathias (back), Scott Williams (shoulder), Dan Jones (knee), Ioan Nicholas (ankle), Rhys Patchell (hamstring), Samson Lee (Achilles), Marc Jones (calf), Ken Owens (back), Tom Phillips (knee), Leigh Halfpenny (knee), Lewis Rawlins (concussion), Josh Helps (ankle), Joe Roberts, Blade Thomson, Sam Costelow, Ryan Elias (head knocks), Sam Lousi (injured during captain’s run), Liam Williams (leg).
The Scarlets had been on a three-game winning run before their Dragons loss. The west Walians now face a struggle to finish in the United Rugby Championship top eight and so make the cut for the knockout games, with the Llanelli-based team lying ninth in the table, five points behind the Bulls.
Peel’s team have three match left to play, against Dragons in Newport, the Ospreys in Swansea and Stomers at Parc y Scarlets. Eight points ahead of the Ospreys, they are still favourites to finish top of the Welsh Shield, which would secure them Heineken Champions Cup qualification whether they make the URC play-offs or not, but they could certainly do without the injury woe.
