Cape Town - The Stormers' New Zealand assistant coach Paul Feeney has been linked to the head coaching position of Welsh club Scarlets.



The PRO14 outfit is looking for a new coach, with current incumbent, New Zealander Wayne Pivac, to leave at the end of the 2018/19 season to become Wales’ head coach.



According to BBC Sport, Feeney is a leading candidate to take over from his compatriot.



The report added that Feeney was also spotted at a Scarlets training session earlier this month.



"He came to us on a coach development exercise to see how we do things," said Pivac, who led the Scarlets to PRO12 success in 2017, as well as last season’s PRO14 final.



"He was here to have a look but he is a coach who is coming off contract at the end of the year. We know each other and I know what he can and can't do. He is an excellent coach."



Feeney, a former Blues and Auckland coach, joined the Stormers at the end of 2016 as an attack and skills coach.



His contract is set to expire after next year’s Super Rugby competition.