In the wake of their fourth consecutive defeat in the United Rugby Championship, Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel remains surprisingly optimistic. Despite falling 29-19 to the Sharks at Kings Park, Peel described the match as a "step in the right direction" for the Welsh squad, who are yet to secure a point this season. The game saw commendable efforts from Marnus van der Merwe, Blair Murray, and Tom Rogers, though it wasn’t enough to overturn a ten-point deficit.
Peel highlighted the positives from the match, pointing out that the team is showing signs of returning to its former self. "It was definitely a step forward for us and I felt like we looked like ourselves a bit more today," he commented after the match. Despite the loss, the coach’s outlook remained focused on the incremental improvements shown by his team.
"Obviously, we’re frustrated as there were a couple of bonus points we could have got and we leave with nothing for a lot of effort."
The Scarlets' South African tour also included a narrow 29-18 loss to the Lions, adding to earlier defeats at the hands of the Stormers and Munster. With the URC on pause for the international break, Peel sees this as a crucial time for regrouping and refining their game plan. "It’s been a tough couple of games for us and a lot of hard work is needed now this month. We have a break before the next block of URC and Champions Cup, which is exciting for us," he explained.
"We didn’t pick up any injuries, so hopefully we will have a healthy squad and can get to work."
Addressing the challenges posed by a "star-studded" Sharks team, Peel acknowledged the physicality displayed by his players against top-tier opponents like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, and Ox Nche. "They were obviously a star-studded Sharks side so it was a big challenge physically with their size and having to manage that, but I thought we did that quite well," he noted, adding that while the team managed to handle the Sharks' maul attack effectively, they needed a bit more finesse to convert opportunities into scores.
As the Scarlets prepare for the upcoming competitions, it’s clear that while the results have not been favorable, the team's spirit and determination under Peel’s guidance remain unbroken. The focus now shifts to leveraging the break period to address the gaps and come back stronger for the next round of matches.
2,193 posts
In the wake of their fourth consecutive defeat in the United Rugby Championship, Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel remains surprisingly optimistic. Despite falling 29-19 to the Sharks at Kings Park, Peel described the match as a "step in the right direction" for the Welsh squad, who are yet to secure a point this season. The game saw commendable efforts from Marnus van der Merwe, Blair Murray, and Tom Rogers, though it wasn’t enough to overturn a ten-point deficit.
Peel highlighted the positives from the match, pointing out that the team is showing signs of returning to its former self. "It was definitely a step forward for us and I felt like we looked like ourselves a bit more today," he commented after the match. Despite the loss, the coach’s outlook remained focused on the incremental improvements shown by his team.
"Obviously, we’re frustrated as there were a couple of bonus points we could have got and we leave with nothing for a lot of effort."
The Scarlets' South African tour also included a narrow 29-18 loss to the Lions, adding to earlier defeats at the hands of the Stormers and Munster. With the URC on pause for the international break, Peel sees this as a crucial time for regrouping and refining their game plan. "It’s been a tough couple of games for us and a lot of hard work is needed now this month. We have a break before the next block of URC and Champions Cup, which is exciting for us," he explained.
"We didn’t pick up any injuries, so hopefully we will have a healthy squad and can get to work."
Addressing the challenges posed by a "star-studded" Sharks team, Peel acknowledged the physicality displayed by his players against top-tier opponents like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, and Ox Nche. "They were obviously a star-studded Sharks side so it was a big challenge physically with their size and having to manage that, but I thought we did that quite well," he noted, adding that while the team managed to handle the Sharks' maul attack effectively, they needed a bit more finesse to convert opportunities into scores.
As the Scarlets prepare for the upcoming competitions, it’s clear that while the results have not been favorable, the team's spirit and determination under Peel’s guidance remain unbroken. The focus now shifts to leveraging the break period to address the gaps and come back stronger for the next round of matches.