Jones says Davies' sacking could have been handled better

Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones has hit out at Scarlets chief executive Stuart Gallacher over his handling of director of rugby Phil Davies' sacking.

Gallacher told BBC Wales last week that the west Wales region had planned to announce Davies' departure at the end of the season.

But he said his hand was forced by a leak to the media and Davies was dismissed on 30 April.

"He (Gallacher) cannot justify what has happened," Jones told Y Clwb Rygbi.

"It has taken a week before he made any kind of statement as to why Phil Davies left and he couldn't even thank him in public for his services.

There will be talk of changing the chief executive if he can't do his job in an effective manner Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones

"I don't think he can say in an interview that he was not personally to blame for this shambles. He can't hide from that.

"And to say in the same breath that everything is fine regarding the business side of things after treating one of the club's biggest personalities in such a shabby manner, he just can't say that.

"He's got responsibility - there's talk of changing stadiums, changing coaches and there will be talk of changing the chief executive if he can't do his job in an effective manner."

Paul Moriarty has taken temporary control of team matters at the Scarlets, supported by Robert Jones and Wayne Proctor.

An announcement on Davies' successor is expected this week, with the Welsh Rugby Union's head of rugby development, Nigel Davies, favourite out of six in contention for the job.

Gallacher said that the region will scrap the director of rugby role and all the responsibilities it entails, and appoint a coach whose role would be to concentrate solely on first-team affairs.

WRU chief Roger Lewis has already said that he will not stand in Davies' way if he chooses the Scarlets.

Davies was assistant Wales coach to Gareth Jenkins from 2006 to 2007, having also been his number two when Jenkins was in charge at Stradey Park.

Stuart Gallacher expects to make an appointment this week

Llanelli-born Davies, 43, won 29 caps at centre between 1988 and 1997, captaining his country against France in 1996.

After a highly successful playing career at Llanelli, he retired after losing the Swalec Cup final to Swansea in 1999, joining Jenkins' back-room team at Stradey and then with Wales.

When Jenkins was sacked after last year's World Cup, Davies took over as caretaker coach for the defeat to South Africa.

With Warren Gatland taking over as Wales coach, the WRU made Davies head of rugby development in January.

"What led to the events of last week was some confidential information leaked to one of the newspapers in Wales," Gallacher told BBC Sport Wales.

"Once that broke we were on the back foot and then had to react to that information.

"I'm very, very disappointed, more for Phil's sake than anyone else's and no one should deserve that sort of treatment - reading about your future in a newspaper.

"I felt badly about it but I'm not making any excuses for the club or myself, we were in an impossible position."