Peel: I’ll be fit to play

27/ 6/2008

SHARKS’ new international scrum-half Dwayne Peel believes he will be fit for the start of next season.

There were doubts about whether Peel would be available for the beginning of his new club’s Premiership campaign after undergoing a shoulder operation this summer. But Peel is confident he’ll be able to play.

"I’ll be ready for the start of the season," Peel said. "There was a bit of doubt, but gladly the surgery has gone well and rehab has gone well so I should be fine."

Last week Peel was forced to sit out the more strenuous pre-season exertions in order to allow his shoulder time to recover, but it is only a matter of days before he will be sprinting up hills with his new team-mates.

"I think I start running next week unfortunately, or fortunately, I should say," joked the British Lion.

Peel missed his country’s tour to South Africa to have surgery and has had a "frustrating" year internationally, missing the start of the Six Nations, again because of a shoulder problem. Now Peel is keen to reclaim his place in the Wales side.

He explained: "I obviously want to play for Wales – I don’t think that changes much coming up here. It will just be a case of playing club rugby with Sale – that doesn’t change anything."

There are some elements of life at Sharks that will be worryingly familiar for Peel, namely the teams Sale will face in the Heineken Cup.

"I was in the same group with [Llanelli] Scarlets last year against Munster and Clermont [Auvergne]," explained Peel, whose former side lost both home and away against the two sides that Sharks face in the European ‘group of death’ this term.

Despite this, Peel added: "I don’t think we should fear Munster or Clermont – we’ll give them as much respect as they deserve.

"Munster are a special team in Europe – they’ve won the competition and perform exceptionally well every year – but I think they’ll be looking at our squad and saying that we’ve got a very strong squad as well."

n PEEL has been at Sharks for more than a month while he recovers from his shoulder operation and he has no regrets about leaving his homeland.

Peel explained: "It was the club and the environment that attracted me here. It’s a great squad of players and the coaches were really helpful when I spoke to them – that is what made my mind up.

"There’s elements I will miss about living in Wales – friends and family – but I’m not sorry with the decision I’ve made. In fact I’m very excited and really looking forward to it."

Is he expecting a bitter rivalry for the number nine shirt when England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth returns after the New Zealand tour?

"It’s good for the squad to have strength and depth. It’s got internationals throughout which can only be good for Sale," Peel said. "A bit of competition drives you on and makes you a better player."