SCARLETS prop Phil John pulled on his Scarlets jersey, at Parc y Scarlets, for one last time on Saturday (Apr 16) as he bows out at the end of the season after an unprecedented 17 seasons with the region.
John, 34, who has appeared 329 times in a Scarlets shirt to date, has scored 75 points for his regional club and is one of Wales’ most experienced props. Two of his 15 tries came in the region’s victory over Newport Gwent Dragons, at Parc y Scarlets, in October last year.
John joins an exclusive group of players who have made over 300 appearances for the side and is 144 appearances ahead of the next most experienced player in the current squad in Regan King (185 appearances).
He joined the Scarlets in 1999 is among a dying breed of one-club players having joined as an apprentice before rugby went regional in the early 2000s.
His first competitive game in a Scarlets jersey was in December 1999 against fellow Welsh club side Cardiff.
John played his 50th European game in January this year having made his debut in the prestigious competition against former Scottish side Border Reivers in December 2003.
The Scarlets stormed to the top of Pool 4 in the Heineken Cup with a huge victory over the Borders at Netherdale outscoring their Scottish rivals to run in five tries, with today’s attack coach outside-half Stephen Jones notching 16 points to become only the third player in history to score 500 Heineken Cup points.
John holds Scarlets’ record of most appearances in the PRO12 and the former Ysgol y Strade pupil is the only player in the current Scarlets squad that was part of the team that won the Celtic League in 2004.
The club thanked Phil for his 17 years of service and wished him all the very best for the future.
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