By Steffan Thomas
STEPHEN Jones has been urged to resist the temptation of joining Wayne Pivac‘s Wales revolution and become the main man at the Scarlets.
Former Wales fly-half Jones has impressed in his current role as attack coach at Scarlets and is favourite to take up the same role in the national set up when Pivac takes the helm after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
But former Wales coach Nigel Davies believes his former player is better off staying where he is.
“I think the best move for Stephen would be to stay at the Scarlets and become head coach there,” Davies said. “I was in a similar position when I was assistant coach to Gareth Jenkins at the Scarlets. Gareth was appointed Wales coach and there was the option for me to stay and become Scarlets head coach.
“I chose to go with Gareth to Wales. From Stephen’s point of view it’s a difficult one because it would be a great opportunity to coach Wales.
“But I think by being a head coach at Scarlets, he would then be in a stronger position to take the main job with Wales in the future.”
Davies has worked as a head coach and in a No.2 role and says Jones will face a step up if he works with Wales or becomes the Scarlets’ main man.
“Being a head coach is completely different to being a number two. As head coach you’ve got to front up a lot of stuff and all of a sudden you’ve got a myriad of other things to deal with,” he said.
“Stephen is good enough to do it and I think he’d grow as a coach if he was given the Scarlets job.”
With Pivac departing Llanelli at the end of this season, the Scarlets are on the lookout for a new head coach. Should Jones opt to leave, Davies believes he knows just the man for the job.
“I think Robin McBryde would be an excellent choice for the Scarlets should Stephen leave,” he said of the Wales forwards coach. “I think it’s time for Robin to become a head coach and he is someone who would really fit the bill for the Scarlets.”
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