Sale's Welsh boss Kingsley Jones says his scrum-half Dwayne Peel will not rejoin the Scarlets for next season.

Jones admits Peel has "lots of options" as he ponders his future.

But the former Wales captain told Sport Wales: "We want to keep him here. I'd be very, very surprised if he plays for the Scarlets next season."

Ex-Wales flanker Jones is also confident prop Eifion Lewis-Roberts will remain a Sale player despite interest from Welsh regions.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has made no secret of his desire for the nation's top talent to be playing in Wales as the 2011 World Cup looms.

Peel, capped 72 times by Wales, joined Guinness Premiership Sale from the Scarlets for the 2008-09 season on a two-year deal, with an option for another year.

The 2005 British and Irish Lion was the only non-Wales-based player included in the initial 28-man squad for the November Test series against New Zealand, Samoa, Argentina and Australia.

606: DEBATE Should Dwayne Peel stay at Sale?

Gatland's decision to omit north Wales-bred prop Roberts was criticised as Wales struggled at the scrum in the absence of then-injured Osprey Adam Jones.

However, Sale director of rugby Jones values Roberts highly and believes he can persuade both players to remain in the north west of England.

He added: "I think Dwayne is bigger than Christiano Ronaldo in terms of Manchester and in terms of Welsh rugby.

"I get asked every day about Dwayne and what's his future. It's a bit sad really because I've been asked that since he got here.

"He got here and in the first autumn series he wasn't available for a game and from that point on Dwayne's 'been leaving'.

"He's 'been leaving' and he's only had three months to settle in. And I think that must have been very unsettling for Dwayne, especially with the year of the Lions tour.

"Our relationship's fantastic. It always has been. But ultimately I'm a bit fed up of it all, to be honest with you, being brutally honest, managing one guy 15 per cent of my time.

"And it's not Dwayne, it's media-driven. We want to keep him here. I'd be very, very surprised if he plays for the Scarlets next season.

"You can show that on auntie's bloopers as he leads the team out next year. But I'd be very surprised if he does.

"I think we have a very good chance of keeping him here, but he has lots of options. Dwayne could take his pick, I'm sure, at the moment.

"It depends whether it's money, rugby - I'm sure it's a balance of everything. He needs to look after his future. He needs to play at the best club he can play at and hopefully that's Sale Sharks.

"But I think we'll find out by the end of this month, really. We've had one meeting with his agent and we'll get together again at the end of this month."

Of Roberts' situation, Jones said: "He's very keen to stay, we're very keen to keep him and there's the business in between to get sorted out.

"That's not easy. He's a valued prop, he plays both sides of the scrum. I know the market to try to replace him costs money, but ultimately I hope there's a little bit of loyalty as well.

"We've invested in him. We're not expecting him to stay for nothing for that, but it has to be that way.

"We've been loyal to him as well, too, long-term and hopefully he'll stay. I'm pretty sure he will, but I'm not pressuring him.

"He's got a lot on his plate. He's got a few games coming up. I trust him and I'm sure I'll be the first person he comes to when he's looking to make a decision."

You can see the full interview with Kingsley Jones in Friday's Sport Wales, BBC TWO Wales from 2200 GMT.

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