Llanelli season preview

The Scarlets squad was strong enough to carry them to the league title and got them to the Heineken Cup semi-finals and Principality Cup final, so you would imagine there are few flaws.

However, their successes were built on a limited game plan involving a strong pack and the boot of Stephen Jones.

But coach Gareth Jenkins is building from a position of strength and has cherry-picked his new recruits.

Matthew Watkins is not yet the calibre of former Stradey Park favourite Dafydd James, but is still a good recruit and could turn out to be the outside-centre able to complement Leigh Davies and feed Llanelli's speedy back three.

Paul Clapham's arrival will offset the departure of locks Craig Gillies and Scott Morgan, while the signing of Iestyn Thomas from Ebbw Vale sees arguably the best Welsh prop join the best pack in Wales.