SCARLETS: ‘This season does feel different’ — Macleod to captain the region for a fourth year

Josh Macleod will captain the Scarlets for a fourth successive season.

The Wales flanker made his debut 11 years ago at the age of 18 and has since made 150 appearances for the region, establishing himself as one of the leading back-rowers in the United Rugby Championship.

Director of rugby Nigel Davies said the decision was revisited from scratch after a summer of change.

“Choosing a club captain is an important decision. It’s about who clearly represents what you want the team to be every day, and Josh does that by instinct,” he said.

“Within the context of a new rugby programme and a lot of change this summer, we wanted to look at our leadership afresh.

“Watching how Josh trains, how he competes, how he carries himself around the environment and, importantly, how much playing for this club means to him, it is clear to us as coaches he is the stand-out natural leader in our squad.”

Being a Scarlet, Davies said, was not the qualification on its own.

“Josh is a Scarlet through and through, but that alone isn’t enough. He’s an outstanding competitor. He’s brave, he’s physical, he works incredibly hard and he’s prepared to put himself into places that others sometimes won’t,” he said.

“We’ve spoken a lot internally about the standards required to take this club forward. If we’re going to change our results, we have to change what we’re prepared to demand of ourselves every day, and the captain has an important role in driving that.”

‘It’s humbling to follow some of the greats’

Macleod takes the armband into a season that looks unlike the three before it.

“It continues to be a huge privilege to lead this club. It’s humbling to be following in the footsteps of some of the greats of the game who have captained the Scarlets,” he said.

“This season does feel different. There’s been a lot of change, there are new players and coaches in the environment, and there is a real challenge to us as a group about where we want to take this team.

“There are a lot of fresh faces who have come in and added real energy to the squad, and a group of talented youngsters who have been putting their hands up throughout pre-season. That competition is exactly what we need.”

Ten players arrived over the summer, among them Grand Slam-winning fly-half Gareth Anscombe, while Wales centre Eddie James committed to a new deal a year before he needed to.

For the captain, the job is making the words stand up.

“As captain, it’s about making sure the standards we talk about are the standards we live every day. That’s in training, around the environment and, most importantly, when we pull the jersey on,” Macleod said.

He will be supported by a vice-captain, to be named in due course, and a senior player leadership group.

“Captaincy isn’t about one person having all the answers. We’ve got plenty of experience and different personalities within the squad and it’s important that we use that,” he said.

Davies made the same point.

“There will inevitably be difficult moments during a season and that’s when leadership really matters. We want players who are prepared to speak, challenge, make decisions and take ownership. Josh will lead that, and he’ll have a strong group around him,” he said.

‘The way we repay that support’

The Scarlets have asked a good deal of their supporters in recent seasons, on the field and off it, with the region competing with the Ospreys for the last west Wales licence under the Welsh Rugby Union’s three-team plan.

“We’re fortunate to have an incredible group of supporters who have stuck with this team through some difficult periods,” Macleod said.

“We know ultimately the way we repay that support isn’t by talking about what we’re going to do. It’s by performing and winning rugby matches.”

He leads the side out at Exeter Chiefs on Saturday in the first of three pre-season fixtures, before the Dragons in Llandovery on 11 September and Saracens at Parc y Scarlets a week later.

“We’re looking forward to getting down to Exeter for our first pre-season hit-out and then building towards a massive opening URC game against Cardiff at Parc y Scarlets,” Macleod said.

“There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but I can’t wait to lead the boys into it.”

That Cardiff game is on Saturday 26 September.