SCRUM-HALF Aled Davies hopes his form in helping push the Scarlets to the verge of the Pro12 play-offs has put him in the mix for a Wales call-up this summer.
The 20-year-old has been one of the success stories of the Scarlets season, emerging as the region's leading No. 9 ahead of Wales international Tavis Knoyle.
Davies's partnership with fellow rookie Owen Williams has been an integral part of the Scarlets' late-season surge towards the RaboDirect Pro12 top four.
And it has seen the Carmarthen product emerge as a dark horse for selection in Robin McBryde's Wales tour party for the two-Test series in Japan. "It is something that is in the back of my mind, it would be great to tour and challenge for a Welsh cap, but all my focus at the moment is making sure the Scarlets make the play-offs and then trying to win the league after that," said Davies.
Davies is among a crop of talented up and coming young half-backs in the domestic game — Jonathan Evans, Lewis Jones and Tom Habberfield among them.
With Mike Phillips a near certainty to be named in Warren Gatland's Lions squad on Tuesday, his Six Nations deputy Lloyd Williams looks set to be Wales's No. 1 in the Far East.
But Davies's name is sure to be mentioned in selection as McBryde ponders who else to take, with Evans, Jones, Knoyle and Osprey Rhys Webb the contenders.
The chief priority for Davies, though, remains the Scarlets clash with Treviso in Llanelli next Friday where victory would guarantee the West Walians a place in the league's knockout stages.
"The boys have played really well of late. I think we have learned loads from that difficult period we had in December and January and it has made us a better team for it," he added.
"We know it is going to be tough against Treviso, they are going to be coming here with nothing to lose. We are not going to take them lightly, but we feel if we turn up and play well we can beat any side."
