NEW Scarlet Rhys Thomas is adamant that he is no gold-digger after the move that has made him one of the Magners League's highest-paid players.

The 26-year-old is reported to be earning around £180,000 a year with the former Celtic League champions.

But Thomas insists his switch from the Dragons to Parc y Scarlets was motivated more by rugby reasons than the wages he will be picking up.

He said: ''I'd imagine the Dragons would have met the (Scarlets') offer, but in the end it wasn't about the money,'' he said.

''It was an opportunity to get out of the comfort zone I was in at Newport, a chance for me to play at a better club with a better standard of rugby.

''The time was right to try something else. The Scarlets have outstanding facilities and seem more likely to challenge for silverware at this point.''