Scarlets treated me badly – Knoyle

Editor

Ex-Scarlets scrum-half Tavis Knoyle says the West Wales region “broke my heart” as he felt forced to leave Llanelli last year.

Ex-Scarlets scrum-half Tavis Knoyle says the West Wales region “broke my heart” as he felt forced to leave Llanelli last year.

Knoyle is still just 23, and has won 11 caps for Wales, but left the Scarlets at the end of the 2012-13 season for Premiership side Gloucester.

He will take on his former side this weekend, as his current side – Cardiff Blues – tangle with their rivals.

“I just thought they [Scarlets] treated me really badly,” Knoyle told the BBC.

“I know what I was like. In terms of the people around me I'm a positive person – it [the situation at Scarlets] just hurt me.

“It broke my heart, to be honest with you. But I've got over that and that's the way it is.

“I'm 23. I just want to work hard and I've got a lot to give. But first and foremost I want to go to the Blues and try to put a marker down.

“I don't think I let myself down in any way [at Scarlets]. I was good as gold. I was professional. I did everything I could.

“I just couldn't get my head around what was happening.”

Having not clocked up many minutes at Kingsholm under ex-Scarlets boss Nigel Davies, Knoyle headed back to his home country, setting up shop in the capital and hoping to add to his tally of Wales caps.

His last international appearance came during the British and Irish Lions tour of last year, during which the Welshmen traveled to Japan.

“Gloucester – to be fair, they took me in and I've tried, but I just haven't had the game time that I would have expected,” added Knoyle.

“Moving away has been difficult for me in terms of my family and stuff. I miss them a lot.

“No-one knows what goes on behind closed doors, but in terms of going back to Wales and to the Blues, I think it's a step in the right direction for myself.

“I just want to push on. I don't want to be stagnant and… I know in my heart of hearts if I keep working hard, not only on the rugby field, just being professional as I can so when I'm called upon, then I can do a good job.”