By Graham Thomas
Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac has admitted he would have quit the region if he was Wales prop Rhodri Jones.
Pivac moved to sign former Springbok Werner Kruger this week after it was confirmed Jones would leave at the end of the season to join arch-rivals, the Ospreys. It is a switch motivated more by concern than cash.
Jones, who has won 13 caps, has struggled to gain selection for major matches at Parc Y Scarlets following the emergence of Samson Lee.
Although Pivac insists Jones was offered a lucrative new deal to stay, he says he would have upped sticks, too, if he was in the shadow of Lee, who has become first choice for his country.
“I would be doing the same thing if I was Rhods,” said New Zealander Pivac, whose side are the highest placed Welsh region in the Guinness Pro12.
“I would be coming out from behind Samson. We wanted to keep Rhods and we put a good offer in front of him. But it was more about guaranteeing game time.
“He thinks he’s going to get more game time at the Ospreys and he’s gone for his own reasons.
“Rhods needed to move for his development as a tight-head. We will see if he plays tight-head. That’s up to him and the Ospreys, I guess.”
Jones used to play loose-head, until he was encouraged to switch to the tight-head side by the Wales management in a bid to create more depth in the position.
The move was an initial success, but Jones – whose last Test was against the All Blacks 15 months ago – has struggled at times this season, although Pivac says the problems are a collective responsibility.
“He played some good rugby at tight-head last season, but he struggled in the last few weeks, I think.
“He’s not hiding from that. He’s the sort of character who is working hard at his game and trying to rectify some of the issues. For a front rower, it’s not always just about the front row. You have to look at what is behind and the work those people are doing.
“It’s a combined effort. Sometimes a hooker and a loose-head will go off on their own and leave a guy stranded.
“We are looking at that and giving him every opportunity to play himself back into form.”
The Scarlets, currently fourth in the table, play Ulster in Belfast on Sunday.