Scarlets great Dwayne Peel is to rejoin his home club as head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Peel is regarded as one of the finest players to have pulled on the Scarlets jersey having played 151 matches during nine seasons at Stradey Park.
Hailing from Tumble in the Gwendraeth Valley, Peel was capped 76 times at scrum-half for Wales and was a Test starter with the British & Irish Lions in New Zealand in 2005.
Following spells with Sale Sharks and Bristol, Peel hung up his playing boots to become part of Bristol’s coaching team before taking up a role as assistant coach with Ulster in 2017.
Peel’s appointment will see current head coach Glenn Delaney take up the position of director of rugby.
Scarlets executive chairman Simon Muderack said: “It is fantastic news for Scarlets fans that a legend of the club like Dwayne is coming home. His outstanding playing career speaks for itself, but he has also become a widely-respected coach during spells with Bristol and more recently Ulster.
“Dwayne understands what the Scarlets is all about, he knows the ‘Scarlets Way’ and he is hugely excited about coming back to West Wales to take up this role in the coaching team.
“Dwayne’s appointment is part of our long-term planning to further strengthen our team off the field and I am sure everyone associated with the Scarlets will be excited by what he will bring. We wish Dwayne well for his final couple of months with Ulster and look forward to welcoming him back to the Scarlets in the summer.”
Dwayne Peel said: “The Scarlets has always meant a massive amount to me and my family and I’m thrilled to be returning to my home club as head coach.
“I have been part of some incredible occasions with the Scarlets during my time at Stradey and I know everyone involved with the club has ambitions to be challenging regularly for silverware and competing with the top sides in Europe.
“As a player, I have experienced first hand the passion of the Scarlets fans, there is a special bond between the supporters and the club and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone back at Parc y Scarlets next season.”