Wales assistant coach Gareth Williams looks set to leave Wayne Pivac’s management team to join the Scarlets. The 43-year-old former Wales U20s and Sevens coach has been responsible for the contact area and breakdown with the national team set-up over the past couple of seasons.
Now, as first reported by Rugby Pass, he will focus on the defensive side of the game if his move to the Scarlets goes through, as is anticipated. Their current defence coach, Irishman Hugh Hogan, is expected to depart the region, having come on board from Leinster a year ago. The west Wales side conceded 73 tries in their 18 United Rugby Championship matches this season, a total only exceeded by bottom of the table Zebre.
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Williams would join head coach Dwayne Peel, forwards coach Ben Franks and scrum coach Emyr Phillips at the Llanelli-based outfit. Backs coach Dai Flanagan has been linked with a move to the Dragons to work with Dean Ryan.
Williams will be with Wales for their impending tour of South Africa, with the party flying out later this week for a trip that will feature three Tests against the world champion Springboks. It remains to be seen what will happen after that and whether Pivac would replace him in the Wales set-up if he moves on.
The contact area was the remit of Sam Warburton for a spell, before he left the management team, while Gethin Jenkins then briefly took over responsibility for that area, ahead of becoming defence coach following the departure of Byron Hayward.
WalesOnline have approached the Scarlets and the WRU for a comment regarding Williams.
