Keeping our top players must be a priority, says Barclay
JOHN Barclay has warned the Scarlets they must keep hold of their best players if they are to have any hope of competing at the highest level of European rugby.
Wayne Pivac’s side host reigning Champions Cup holders Saracens this afternoon looking to repeat the performance which saw them claim a famous home win over French giants Toulon before Christmas.
But the meeting with Mark McCall’s men comes in the same week that star back Liam Williams confirmed his move from Llanelli to the Allianz Park outfit.
It means that the gifted runner has become the latest big name to leave Welsh rugby, following Jonathan Davies and Rhys Priestland in swapping Parc y Scarlets for megamoney moves elsewhere.
Davies has since returned from Clermont Auvergne, but Barclay knows it’s difficult for his team to fight for honours when the likes of Williams are heading for the exit.
The financial muscle of English and French clubs makes it difficult for Welsh rugby to compete with their near rivals, and the Scottish flanker said: “Since I have been here Jon Davies has left and come back and Rhys left.
“But if you are serious about building a squad and if you are serious about winning things, it is about how you keep hold of these players.
“The budgets are not unlimited. You want to be a big club and build, but to do that and win things you have to keep hold of these big players.”
Pivac’s Scarlets are third in Pool 3 behind unbeaten leaders Saracens and Toulon.
Toppling last season’s double-winners and reaching the last eight remains a tough ask, with victory in their round five match essential.
“If we don’t win we are out of the competition so if we are serious about it and want to put something behind the words, we have to deliver a performance,” Barclay said. “We are going to have to be on song against a good team.”
Barclay has been in impressive form for the Scarlets over the festive period at No 8. And the powerful carrier hopes his displays will earn him a place in Scotland’s Six Nations squad.
“The Six Nations is a little bit in the thoughts,” he said. “Having had a couple of years out of it it’s not something I assume or think is going to happen every time.
“I really enjoyed the autumn, I thought I played quite well so I hope to be involved.”