Wayne Pivac: Scarlets coach disappointed after player departures

Scarlets trio Aled Davies, Leigh Halfpenny and Scott Williams helped Wales beat South Africa earlier in December

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac says he is disappointed with the manner of some recent player departures at the region.

Wales centre Scott Williams and scrum-half Aled Davies will both join rivals Ospreys at the end of the season.

Earlier this year, it was announced lock Tadhg Beirne will join Munster and flanker John Barclay will move to Edinburgh at the end of the campaign.

"We're disappointed to lose any player," Pivac said. "Some of them are really good players."

Pivac added that the manner of some of the exits has rankled with him.

"At the end of the day it's a professional environment we just encourage the players to get all the information they need and to make an informed decision," he said.

"Some of them are really really good and they give their club the last right of reply.

"Some do their own thing so [we are] very pleased with a couple of the players who went through a thorough process with us and we are disappointed with a couple of others."

One positive for Pivac is that while Williams and Davies are heading for the exit, Ospreys centre Kieron Fonotia will join last season's Pro12 champions and Pivac is excited to work with the Samoan international, even hinting that the Ospreys have not seen the best of the player.

"The Kieron Fonotia I know is the Kieron Fonotia that played for the Crusaders (in super rugby) who play the way we play, he's got a skill set," he said.

"Kieron Fonotia will do well in this environment, he hasn't done well in the environment he's been in and it's not for me to comment on why but clearly his form prior to coming to Wales is the form that we've looked at.

"We think he'll do really well in this environment so we're really pleased with that signing."

Pivac revealed the Scarlets have already agreed a deal to replace the departing Davies, with an announcement to come.