Return Of The King

http://www.scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/6333.php wrote:One of the Scarlets' most prolific and talented centres will head back to West Wales next season moving from Heineken Cup finalists Clermont Auvergne.

The once-capped All Black was a highly prized member of the Scarlets squad for six years and played an important role in helping develop and push forward a number of the region's world-class backs including Welsh internationals Jon Davies and Rhys Priestland.
King joined French giants Clermont Auvergne on a three-year contract in 2011/12 and now returns to re-join the region he proudly calls his spiritual rugby home with a new two-year deal after first moving to Llanelli in May 2005.

King, 33, has hit some impressive form this season for his French club in both the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup and notably in Clermont's win over Harlequins in Europe at the end of last month.

Respected by the Scarlets faithful for his superb skill set, handling, timing and agility, King's return will be a huge boost to the West Wales region next season within a squad that has plenty of young, up-and-coming talent.

Scarlets Head Coach Simon Easterby said: "To have the quality and experience of a player like Regan King back in our squad next season will be a big positive for our region as a whole.

"Not only will we have secured a rugby player of real quality on the pitch who has played at the top end of European and French rugby for the past two years, but we've also gained the value of a professional who has such rounded experience which can be passed onto others.

"He's shown his inherent quality as a player in his recent performances in the Heineken Cup as well as the domestic French game and is a player any club in Europe would want in their ranks.

"What Regan can bring will hopefully inspire our young backs further and thedepth of experience and creativity he's known for will have a positive impact throughout the squad. You only have to recall what a big influence he had on early senior careers of Jon (Davies), Rhys (Priestland), Gareth (Maule) and many others in his time with us to recognise that value.

"We're delighted he's returning to Parc y Scarlets, it will be a warm welcome back home for him and his family and we know as a group of coaches and players that he will help add a different dimension and edge to Scarlets Rugby next season."

King who has born in Cambridge, New Zealand and has a British father achieved his All Blacks cap against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in November 2002. He also played for Paris based club Stade Francais before leaving to join the Scarlets in the 2005/6 season.

He has appeared 143 times in a Scarlets shirt with 180 points; his last game for the Scarlets was against Cardiff Blues at home in front of a packed 11,000 plus Parc y Scarlets crowd on May 6th 2011.

King has played 60 games for Clermont to date scoring seven tries.

HammerofThunor wrote:So the replacing of Welsh stars with over the hill foreigners continues (and lauded as great news)  

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:So the replacing of Welsh stars with over the hill foreigners continues (and lauded as great news)  

Amazing how quickly you can off someone  

He has been in brilliant form in Clermont, from what I have seen, this season.

Also looking forward to the tricks and tips he can pass on to the next generation.  The Scarlets have Gareth Maule and Adam Warren tied down for the next few seasons in the centre, and we have the likes of Jordan Williams and Aaron Warren (currently at Llandovery) who are natural runners of the ball.  So with Regan's attacking flair, and ability to pass on those skills, and the pack we have built over the last few seasons, I am pretty confident that we should be looking like a pretty decent outfit for next season.

Another positive of this signing for me, is that Scott Williams and Rhys Priestland have not yet signed for other teams, and the announcement of Reggie coming in may make them consider staying, as his influence has pretty big on them when they were starting out.

HammerofThunor wrote:So the replacing of Welsh stars with over the hill foreigners continues (and lauded as great news)  

Cardiff Dave wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:So the replacing of Welsh stars with over the hill foreigners continues (and lauded as great news)  

Yes....and no.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:So the replacing of Welsh stars with over the hill foreigners continues (and lauded as great news)  

Yes....and no.

This....

http://www.scarletfever.org/forum/nwq-the-pa-etc_topic38571.html

munkian wrote:I'll be much happier IF they announce they have Scott Willimas on a new 3 year contract....

Welshmushroom wrote:
On a side note:  I'm seriously concerned about some of the comments on that link Dave.  Are people really thinking joining the Aviva is better?  Some of the comments regarding NWQ are disturbing as well.  The WRU fund the regions for 4 million per year at the moment (granted some of this is TV revenue) but that covers this self imposed 3.5 million wage cap.  The WRU cover the costs of refs, insurance and other aspects as well.  So essentially the money received should be the money that covers the entire wage cap.  I appreciate that there are still running costs such as stadium maintenance, admin staff costs, coaches/managers, but surely attendances, corporate sponsorship, season tickets & merchandise should cover those basic costs.  Am I missing something?

VinceWLB wrote:

Welshmushroom wrote:
On a side note:  I'm seriously concerned about some of the comments on that link Dave.  Are people really thinking joining the Aviva is better?  Some of the comments regarding NWQ are disturbing as well.  The WRU fund the regions for 4 million per year at the moment (granted some of this is TV revenue) but that covers this self imposed 3.5 million wage cap.  The WRU cover the costs of refs, insurance and other aspects as well.  So essentially the money received should be the money that covers the entire wage cap.  I appreciate that there are still running costs such as stadium maintenance, admin staff costs, coaches/managers, but surely attendances, corporate sponsorship, season tickets & merchandise should cover those basic costs.  Am I missing something?

I find that unsettling and pretty disturbing, has a "grass is always greener on the other side" feeling written all over it.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Mushroom, I think it is more what Regan brings off the pitch that has people excited.  During is original stint at PYS we saw numerous young centres coming through and looking promising.  During Regan's original stint Gavin Evans looked very good, and then Foxy emerged, and then Reynolds and Maule got game time and looked good too.  Granted Evans and Reynolds both seemed to drop in form since then.  But now we have young centres like Warren Snr, Shnigler Jnr, and Reynolds who can learn from Regan, and we also have young backs with attacking flair like Jordan, Warren Jnr, Kris Phillips etc that will also be keen on picking up any tips that an old timer like Reggie has.

Also with that link Dai posted, you have to remember that it is a regional fans site, and one for one specific region, so the opinions you get on there do tend to be skewed towards what is best for themselves personally as opposed to the greater good.  However can we try to keep this thread clear of all the WRU/RRW civil war cack as I am in a good mood today and that stuff just drags me down.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Mushroom, I think it is more what Regan brings off the pitch that has people excited.  During is original stint at PYS we saw numerous young centres coming through and looking promising.  During Regan's original stint Gavin Evans looked very good, and then Foxy emerged, and then Reynolds and Maule got game time and looked good too.  Granted Evans and Reynolds both seemed to drop in form since then.  But now we have young centres like Warren Snr, Shnigler Jnr, and Reynolds who can learn from Regan, and we also have young backs with attacking flair like Jordan, Warren Jnr, Kris Phillips etc that will also be keen on picking up any tips that an old timer like Reggie has.

Cardiff Dave wrote:Great post from KID A just now. Sort of sums up the WRU's cozy relationship with the Fail.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Also with that link Dai posted, you have to remember that it is a regional fans site, and one for one specific region, so the opinions you get on there do tend to be skewed towards what is best for themselves personally as opposed to the greater good.  However can we try to keep this thread clear of all the WRU/RRW civil war cack as I am in a good mood today and that stuff just drags me down.

Spoilsport.
Great post from KID A just now. Sort of sums up the WRU's cozy relationship with the Fail.

maestegmafia wrote:Good move by the Scarlets. A great club man as mentioned above. Brings the best out of players around him.

Might become an outstanding backs coach for the Scarlets one day.

Great news

Casartelli wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Good move by the Scarlets. A great club man as mentioned above. Brings the best out of players around him.

Might become an outstanding backs coach for the Scarlets one day.

Great news

Come on Maes, I don't think for one minute that King's decision to return was influenced by the long established tradition in Llanelli of recruiting ex-players onto the coaching staff!

Medium term financial security might have been the furthest thing from his mind.