Wales fly-half hopeful keen to impress ahead of Six Nations

Scarlets fly-half Ioan Lloyd is hoping to press his claims for the Wales number 10 shirt, with the door having been thrown open due to injury and retirement.

The former Bristol Bears back recently made the switch to the Welsh region, which has allowed him the opportunity to play international rugby for his country.

Ordinarily Lloyd might have been not in the conversation for Six Nations action but the absence of several number 10s means the Scarlets starter has a shot.

Short at fly-half

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is unable to lean on Dan Biggar (retired) while Gareth Anscombe (Japan) and Rhys Patchell (New Zealand) are playing overseas.

An injury to Lloyd’s Scarlets team-mate, Sam Costelow, that rules him out until January, means the former could feature for Wales in the upcoming Six Nations.

“That’s the dream and what I aim to do but it’s not in my hands,” Lloyd told BBC Sport about his international ambitions ahead of the opener against Scotland.

“All I can do is play as well I can and help this Scarlets team as well as I can. If that comes then that’s the dream.”

One other option available to Gatland is Lloyd’s former Bears team-mate, Callum Sheedy, a club where Lloyd was viewed more as an outside back rather than 10.

“Hopefully I can get some more game time at 10 and we can put some results together,” he said as his side looks to bounce back from a home loss to the Lions.

“I loved my time at Bristol and have some great experience of playing in different positions but I am a 10 and would like to play there. So I needed to take that step to do that.

“I am loving it. It feels like a new challenge or revisiting what I used to do.

“I am enjoying the challenge, there are a lot of things to learn but I am doing that as I go and hopefully this will make me a better player. There is a lot of game management stuff which comes with time.”

Rich history at 10

Lloyd admits he felt the time was right to leave Bristol and added that wearing the shirt of many great Welsh playmakers of yesteryear was another drawcard.

“There is massive rich history in the jersey, I have big boots to fill and hopefully I can do it proud,” he said.

“The opportunity to come here and get back to Wales to a club like the Scarlets was too big a chance to turn down.”

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