Dwayne Peel: Scarlets head coach confident of club backing despite record loss
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Dwayne Peel spent seven years as a Scarlets player before returning as coach in 2021
Dwayne Peel believes he still has the backing of the Scarlets board despite their season hitting a new low.
Scarlets suffered their worst home league defeat last Saturday when they were thrashed 45-3 by Glasgow.
The record loss came days after the club appeared to back the head coach by announcing they will appoint a director of rugby to "work alongside" Peel.
Asked if he still had that backing after the Glasgow loss, he replied: "Yes, definitely."
Peel added: "The appointments that are to be made are positive for the club and forward thinking.
"It will definitely help give me more time to coach the rugby, which is what I love to do."
New contract
Peel is in his third season at Parc y Scarlets and, BBC Sport Wales understands, signed a new contract some months before Christmas that will see him stay for the 2024-25 season at least.
And the fact he was named in a statement last week regarding the region's plans for next season would suggest he is safe for now.
But there is dismay at board level at the negativity surrounding Scarlets in a season when many Welsh regions have struggled following cost-cutting and a mass exodus of talent.
Scarlets have won just three of 17 games in all competitions this season - the same tally as Cardiff and the same, in the league, as Dragons.
The club have even hired an external public relations consultant to work with Peel.
Part of the issue is contrasting pre-season expectations.
They were rock-bottom at both of the east Wales clubs, but the signings of Ioan Lloyd and Taine Plumtree, on the back of a European semi-final, gave rise to modest optimism at Scarlets last summer.
However, that was swiftly blown away by results and performances.
Scarlets have conceded 40 points or more eight times this season and have scored the fewest points and tries in the United Rugby Championship.
Scarlets have lost 14 of 17 URC games this season
In contrast, at Munster last weekend, Cardiff maintained their remarkable run of picking up a losing bonus point in all but one of their league defeats, while Dragons came close to progressing in Europe this season.
Scarlets have confirmed they are to make four new senior appointments to "drive future success and sustainability" at the club.
Peel has had sole responsibility for rugby matters since taking overall charge when Glenn Delaney left Scarlets in May 2021.
The region say a rugby performance director will be appointed to bring a "strong and refreshed vision and performance culture".
Ireland assistant coach Simon Easterby and fellow former Scarlets head coaches Phil Davies and Nigel Davies, as well as ex-Cardiff boss Dai Young, are among the early names linked with the post.
Scarlets have also offered the role of head of development to Gareth Williams, who was removed as defence coach in February.
Jon Daniels has been appointed managing director and Phillip Morgan will become chief financial officer.
Scarlets executive chairman Simon Muderack said: "These senior leadership appointments will help us meet the challenges we face now and in the future both on and off the field."