Peel raises Scarlets targets for URC campaign

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel has urged his team to improve on last season's United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off appearance after a "productive" summer.

Peel's side were beaten 33-28 at Dragons on Saturday in their only full warm-up game before kicking off their league campaign against Munster on Saturday, 27 September.

Scarlets were the only Welsh region to make the knockout stages last season before losing in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Leinster.

And despite the uncertainty hanging over the region amid the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) planned shake-up, Peel hopes the Llanelli-based region can improve.

"That's ultimately the goal for us," said the 44-year-old.

"If you look back at last season we were unlucky in a few games not to get over the line with last-gasp losses etc, which could have put us higher up the league.

"We want to compete and we want to be in those play-offs again, that's ultimately what we're trying to do.

"We've got a squad and the appetite for that and we've worked hard over the last couple of weeks."

Peel has several injury concerns before the visit of Munster, but said lock Jake Ball - who has re-joined Scarlets this summer after four years in Japan - should recover from a clash of heads during Saturday's game at Rodney Parade.

However, Wales full-back Blair Murray withdrew during the warm-up along with back-row summer-signing Tristan Davies.

"There's a couple of boys, Harry Thomas as well went off early [with an] arm injury. I don't know the extent of all of that yet," said Peel.

"Blair had a back spasm. That was a bit of a blow because he'd been training really well the last couple of weeks and it would have been nice to have given him a run.

"But with a quality player like him, I'm sure he'd be ready to go for Munster anyway."

Despite the loss and injuries, Peel insisted the game was worthwhile for his players after weeks of training.

"Some of the returning international players have been in for three or four weeks now and them getting a hit out was important, to get the cobwebs out and ready for Munster," added the former Wales scrum-half.

"We've got a lot to do, but I don't mind that because it gives you a real focus. If things had gone really smooth [on Saturday] then maybe you take your foot off the gas.

"We'll be ready for some league rugby in two weeks, which is going to be huge."