Somerville not joining Scarlets

Llanelli Scarlets chief executive Stuart Gallacher has confirmed that New Zealand prop Greg Somerville will not be joining the region.

"He has decided to remain in New Zealand, we are pursuing other options and still want to sign a top-quality prop," Gallacher told BBC Sport Wales.

Reports suggested the rumoured move was under threat because of Phil Davies' sacking as director of rugby in April.

Somerville is the second most-capped New Zealand prop of all time.

The 30-year-old, who has won 57 caps, has been a key part of the New Zealand squad because of his ability to play on both the loose-head and tight-head sides of the scrum.

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Somerville missed most of the 2006/7 season after rupturing his Achilles' tendon and then undergoing surgery on a torn retina.

But he overcame his injuries to make New Zealand's squad for the 2007 World Cup, playing two games in the tournament against Portugal and Romania.

Somerville has made more than a century of Super 12/14 appearances for the Canterbury-based Crusaders since the Wairoa-born prop made his debut in 1998.

The Ospreys were also rumoured to be interested in his signing, but Gallacher has suggested that family and career considerations mean Somerville will remain down under.

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