Pro14: Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac confirms Tadgh Beirne could leave

Tadhg Beirne won nine caps for Ireland U20s

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac says the region may lose Tadhg Beirne's services at the end of the season.

The versatile forward, who can play at flanker or second row, has been a key performer since joining from Leinster.

Pivac worries Beirne's ambitions to play for Ireland could see him leave.

"We would love to keep Tadhg, but he has got burning ambitions to play for Ireland like all our Welsh boys have to play for Wales and that is the way it should be," Pivac said.

Beirne's stock has risen in the last 12 months and he was an influential member of the squad that won the Pro 12 title last season.

However, reports in the Irish press suggest Munster are hoping to lure him back and Pivac says the Scarlets will plan accordingly.

"Part of it will be out of our control, but certainly we will be looking at other players as well," he said. "Tadhg came in from outside so if he were to go I am sure we will find someone to replace him."

Beirne produced a man-of-the-match performance in last Saturday's bonus-point win over Edinburgh which put the Scarlets in second place in conference B, but John Barclay, Samson Lee and Gareth Davies suffered head injuries which will force the trio to sit out the visit of Connacht.

Head injuries are a hot topic in the sport, with calls to ban tackling at school rugby matches.

However, Pivac believes any changes to policy would need to be enforced globally.

"I haven't seen the report but what I do know, the more you practise things the better you get," he said.

"If you leave the set-piece until kids get older then you'll be behind the rest of the world. If the world (World Rugby) decides it will start doing that at the age of 10 or 15 then so be it but if one lot does and one lot doesn't, I know what will happen."