Welsh Rugby
Lions star Davies wants to stay in Wales
ESPN Staff
October 1, 2013
Jonathan Davies starred for the Lions in the summer © Getty Images
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British & Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies has given the clearest indication yet that he wants his future to be in Wales rather than across the Channel in the Top 14.

Davies is one of a number of Welsh internationals whose contracts are up at the end of the season. The Cardiff Blues are attempting to keep hold of Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny while the Ospreys are facing a battle to tie down Alun-Wyn Jones, Adam Jones and Ian Evans on to new deals.

All five are reportedly on the radar of France's top clubs with Halfpenny already locked in talks with Toulon, according to reports in the Welsh press. Davies, who starred for the Lions in the summer, is also likely to be attracting interest from both England and France but he is keen to stay at the Scarlets.

"I've grown up supporting the club and I want to stay in Wales really because I can't speak French!" Davies told Wales Online. "Joking aside, I want to get things sorted and hopefully they can be."

But Scarlets boss Simon Easterby says the growing uncertainty over the future of the Heineken Cup is hindering the region's contract negotiations. Easterby said: "It does not help for sure, the sooner this is resolved the better from our perspective.

"It has gone on long enough and we want to talk about the rugby and the players we want to retain, rather than worrying whether they are going somewhere else. Assuming we can resolve this and the sooner the WRU, who are acting on our behalf, resolve the matter with ERC and the other nations the sooner we can concentrate on keeping players and playing in this competition for many years to come."

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