Scarlets to move on from Moriarty

SCARLETS head coach Wayne Pivac has all but ruled out a move for Wales star Ross Moriarty.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the region’s trip to South Africa, the New Zealander revealed he hadn’t spoken to the Gloucester back-rower since the Wales tour to New Zealand in 2016.

He also said that the defending Guinness PRO14 champions were focusing on bringing in a non-Welsh qualified replacement for Edinburgh-bound John Barclay – Pivac has three ‘top-class’ players to choose from – because of the number of players they are currently supplying to the national squad.

It emerged last week that the Dragons were favourites to land the signature of Moriarty, who is out of contract with Gloucester at the end of the season and has to return to Wales to avoid being captured by the new WRU selection policy.

Asked if he was resigned to missing out on Moriarty, Pivac said: “It is not a matter of missing out, it’s a matter of us looking at what we want to do with our squad.

“Ross is a player I have talked openly about and rate highly.

“But he has had a recurrence of a back injury. I haven’t spoken to him since he was out in New Zealand a couple of seasons ago with the Welsh team.

“The indication is that he is looking at all options and may want to talk to us in the future.

“We are busy in other directions looking at players that could be available for the whole season versus someone like Ross.

“If he wants to chat to me, I will definitely speak to him but I haven’t spoken to him.

“We can’t have 16 or 17 players away for half the season otherwise we will have this fantastic team who will never play in the play-offs.

“Last season the reason why we won the Championship was when the internationals were away we won every game bar one and accumulated enough points to challenge in the play-offs.”

The Scarlets have supplied 14 players to Warren Gatland’s current autumn squad, as well as Barclay to Scotland.

And it means the region’s recruitment has been focused on the overseas route and bringing in players who will be available all season round.

“We are looking seriously down that path,” admitted Pivac.