Profile: John Muggleton

'To be prepared is half the victory' (Miguel de Cervantes)

John Muggleton is truly a world class coach. A former Rugby League player with Parramatta Eeels the new Scarlets coach has learnt about defense the hard way. Playing Rugby league in Australia means he knows what is involved when having structured defensive systems and he also knows just how much physical effort it takes to implement.

That is where the preparation comes into it. You just have to look at Wales' Grand Slam success to see how important preparation is when competing with the best. John Muggleton has spent the last ten years preparing Australia's defense to compete with the like of New Zealand and South Africa year on year and has also been a major part in the their World Cup success, only conceding 1 try in 1999's competition.

Sydney-born Muggleton will no doubt be missing his homeland when he arrives in Wales. He recently applied for Eddie Jones' old job with the Wallabies which was eventually given to Robbie Deans. The opportunity which now sits in-front of him will be of different proportions altogether but the size of the challenge remains. Muggleton has been given the job of turning the Scarlets' leaky defence around, which was the cause of ending the season with one of the worst defensive records in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.

Although he has not arrived yet, the Scarlets await Muggleton's new regime with anticipation. Currently, the squad are being put through their paces by another Sydney-born coach, Brad Harrington and his assistant Ryan Campbell. Harrington was part of the successful Waratahs set-up in this years Super 14 and will no doubt be looking forward to working with his fellow countryman given his impressive reputation.

What will be interesting to see is how the squad react to Muggleton's coaching style. Renowned for being a straight talking coach, the Scarlet players will be expected to put more effort in than ever before if they are to gain the respect of the new man.

Australian Rugby Chief holds Muggleton in high regard with this particular quote proving that the Scarlets will be learning quite a few new things.

"But I think John Muggleton, with his particular skills and unique ways of getting the message across, will ensure that the Wallabies' defensive pattern is back to where it should be." (O'Neill on Muggleton after the Australian Super 12 teams underperformed in 2003)

Fans and Players will be looking forward to Muggleton's arrival in the next few weeks and will wait with expectation to see the results of the new regime as the season progresses.

Lyons ready to make his mark

The highest profile signing since Stephen Jones made his return from Clermont arrived at Stradey Park this week. David Lyons, the 44-cap Australia international, appears to be raring to go after signing from the New South Wales Waratahs.

Having already been interviewed by all sections of the media since arriving, Lyons has outlined his intent pick up silverware during his stay in Wales - with 4 years to do it you wouldn't bet against it!

I have to say, Mr Lyons looks in pretty good shape after the serious ankle injury he suffered during the World Cup. He's just the type of player the Scarlets have been missing - an out and out ball carrier with a good rugby brain and the determination to win games at all costs.

The devastating news that he had to sit out the Super 14 final against the Crusaders will no doubt motivate the big man even further to help bring in the trophies at Parc y Scarlets.

Lyons is likely to be a big hit with the Scarlets fans, who will notice that he sports the new away kit in the video interviews linked below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7529799.stm

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/videos-and-pics/videos/

The powerful No.8 was voted to receive the John Eales Medal as Australia's best player in 2004. A medal which was stolen from him earlier this year along with a lot more memorabilia from his home in Australia. No doubt, Lyons will be determined to replace the achievements by hitting the ground running in Wales and the Heineken Cup. Could Lyons be part of the jigsaw the Scarlets need to get closer to the trophy which has eluded them and the other Welsh teams since the competition began?

Pre-season, a props nightmare!

Just a matter of weeks until the new season begins which means the dreaded pre-season has arrived. Just take a trip down to Stradey and you'll see the squad being put therough their paces by the new coaching team, particularly Brad Harrington and Ryan Campbell, who specialise in fitness coaching and conditioning.

Players are being tested to their limits with much of the training seemingly developed from old fashioned methods, such as continually beating a large tyre with a sledgehammer, dragging weights around and pretty much doing anything energetic until your body gives up! It's also quite encouraging to see a prop (Kees Meeuws) apparently enjoying the training.

Conditioning will no doubt be quite a major factor in the outcome of the season, as it always is, however the added twist this time around is the introduction of ELV's, something Mr Harrington has experienced in the Super 14. Meanwhile the conditioning of the squad will be under close scrutiny for all with one of the alleged criticisms of previous coach Phil Davies being that the squad were possibly losing to much bulk after the fitness programmes.

Now that the first games at Bath and Wasps are fast approaching, it gives us fans a chance, or excuse rather, to go and visit Bath and London (well, Wycombe). Tickets are now available from the Bath and Wasps ticket lines with advanced booking discounts also available.

Ooohhh, the excitement!

Long time, no see, eh?

Lots of progression since the last post on here, thankfully, so it's onwards and upwards.

Driving past the new stadium makes you realise just how privileged we are in Llanelli. Brand-new, pretty stunning, state of the art stadium to watch our favourite team clash with the heavyweights of Europe. We're all sad to see the end of Stradey Park closing in, so many occasions, such emotion and a whole host of achievements through the decades all echo around the four stands.

The time has come to begin something else though, something very special, something modern yet steeped in history and culture and something to continue the proud tradition of the Scarlets and the fans.

Just watching the video at http://www.scarlets.co.uk/ makes you realise how much history could be made at Parc y Scarlets, just as it was a Parc y Strade. Nigel Davies has already commented on how the stadium has 'blown-away many of the players', even at this stage. So, imagine an occasion such as the Heineken Cup Quarter finals, 15,000 in attendance and a whole new buzz around Llanelli and the ground.

We're ready...