Muderack optimistic for Scarlets and rival regions

Scarlets executive chairman Simon Muderack is "genuinely, really excited" for their forthcoming 2024-25 season.

He also expects "some big positive steps forward" in the relationship between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Wales' four regions following the financial strains of recent seasons.

The cash shortage played its part in Scarlets' poor 2023-24 campaign in which they finished 13th in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with five wins and 13 defeats.

"It was a very disappointing season last year, but I’m genuinely really excited going into this season," Muderack told BBC Radio Wales.

Muderack says the recruitment of Leigh Jones as performance director along with recruitment aimed at bolstering their pack is cause for his optimism at Scarlets.

"We've made some tweaks to the coaching team. Leigh Jones has come in to provide a bit of support to the overall coaching group with a lot of heritage and a lot of passion, when we've also made quite a bit of shrewd recruitment over the past 12 months," said Muderack.

"We’ve really bolstered our pack up front and then we've got some really good, exciting youngsters coming through, which then get a bit of dynamism all over the park for us.

"We also said goodbye to a generation of talent, but now it's the opportunity for this group to make their own history and to put their own stamp on this period of time for the club."

Wales' World Cup tight-head prop Henry Thomas has joined from Castres, while Scotland prop Alec Hepburn arrived from Exeter Chiefs.

South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe, who was included in Rassie Erasmus' initial 43-man Springboks squad for the 2024 Rugby Championship, joined from Cheetahs, while fellow South African Jarrod Taylor arrived from Stormers in February.

Australian lock Max Douglas has also joined the squad from Japanese side Yokohama Canon Eagles.

Scarlets have signed two Welsh-qualified backs, full-back Ellis Mee from Nottingham and utility back Blair Murray from New Zealand side Canterbury.

The west Wales region have also retained the services of Johnny Williams, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Tom Rogers, Harri O'Connor, Ben Williams, Dan Davis and Vaea Fifita.

Away from Parc y Scarlets, discussions between Scarlets, Osrpeys, Cardiff and Dragons with the WRU also make Muderack optimistic.

In June, the WRU announced a five-year plan for the game, including having teams challenging in the play-offs of the URC.

"The narrative around Welsh rugby is always around the arm wrestle between the regions and the Union and those discussions continue. I think you know that the tone and the narrative has changed significantly," said Muderack.

"I do truly believe that over the next couple of months, we'll make some big positive steps forward."

He added: "The trick for us as a club is, whilst all that's going on, we've still got to look after ourselves, and we've still got to be successful on the field on a week-by-week basis during the season.

"And that's been a big part of behind the scenes, what we have focused on over the off-season and indeed, for the past 12 months.

"So for the first time, maybe in four years, I'm optimistic that on two levels - on a day-to-day basis at the club and also with the Union - we’ll make big steps forward this season.

"Will the job be done? No, it won't, but I think it's sport - it's ever really done. But certainly, we will move forward more positively than we have for a number of years."