England V Ireland Hospitality

THE Scarlets are hoping they can reunite Wales fly-half Stephen Jones with his former half-back partner Dwayne Peel.

After Jones stated over the weekend he wanted to see his career out at the Scarlets, the attention has turned to trying to lure Peel back to the Llanelli-based region.

The Lions scrum-half left the Scarlets in 2008 for Sale but his current two-year deal runs out at the Manchester-based club at the end of the season.

The Scarlets are trying to attract Peel and his current team-mate Eifion Lewis Roberts to Wales with Warren Gatland wanting his top players performing at one of the four Welsh regions.

And it is this policy that Scarlets supremo Nigel Davies believes could attract Peel back home after the scrum-half was not allowed to play in the autumn international against New Zealand last November.

“The move to Sale has probably been a difficult one for Dwayne and I am sure it has not been an easy transition,” said Davies.

“He would have enjoyed it though I am sure because it has been a different environment for him.

“Now Dwayne has experienced rugby outside of Wales now, I am sure he is keen to get back.

“Warren Gatland has made some clear statements that he wants his Welsh squad to be based in Wales.

“The luxuries that gives Warren is the release of players and the fact we can look after them better here in Wales.

“That has got to be an attractive proposal for him.”

But Davies still refused to be drawn on whether the Scarlets had held talks with their former player.

“I am not going to comment on any specific cases, but as I have said before this is the time of year when people look at their squad for next season,” he said.

“It is part of our development that we try and bring in quality year on year.

“We took a big hit last season on clearing out a lot and it has been rebuilding.

“This is the first year as far as I am concerned but we are looking to bring in quality players to supplement what we have been developing here.”

Davies was more happy to talk about the comments of his fly-half Jones, who indicated he wanted to stay with the Scarlets for the rest of his career.

“It is great, absolutely fabulous to hear Steve say what he did,” added Davies.

“Steve has been a big part of what this team has been about for 10 or so years.

“He is a great ambassador for us and stands for everything that we think is good about us.

“On top of that he is a great player.

As for a potential new deal, Davies said: “Negotiations are ongoing, as is the case with a number of people at this time of year.

“We would love for him to be the rest of his career.”

But Jones is still a doubt for the Heineken Cup clash against London Irish on Sunday at Parc y Scarlets after the 32-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in the New Year’s Eve victory over the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

“He is touch and go, 50-50 at this moment,” said Davies.

“We will know more on Thursday, it is not a long-term injury, but he is in the balance for this weekend.

“If there is still any doubt on Thursday we will need to push on.”

Jones’ Wales and Lions team-mate Matthew Rees will definitely not return in time from a six-week absence with a groin injury.

But the hooker should figure in the region’s final Heineken Cup game against Brive next weekend in France, a timely boost for Wales ahead of the crucial Six Nations opening game against England at Twickenham on February 6.

“Matthew will be available for the Brive game next week,” added Davies.

“If we really pushed him he could have played some part in this game on Sunday.

“But we think it is better if he had another week, which gives him a far better base to work off.”

Captain Mark Jones and Dafydd Jones remain on the long-term injury list, but the region are hoping former All Blacks centre Regan King will return from a hamstring injury in the next couple of weeks.