Your rugby evening headlines on Monday, April 15.
Ross Moriarty scores stunner for Brive
Wales international Ross Moriarty scored his third try of the season in the French Pro D2 as he continued his impressive form.
Moriarty agreed a deal to join Brivea year ago, leaving the Dragons to pursue a new chapter in France. Brive faced Colomiers at the weekend, and Moriarty was right in the thick of the action during a 35-23 win.
The 29-year-old hit a beautiful line that scythed through the Colomiers defence, before giving the covering fly-half a cheeky side-step to the left and touching down to complete a fabulous score.
You can watch Moriarty's try below.
Brive are eighth in the Pro D2 table, and Moriarty will be hoping that next season the club can challenge for promotion to the Top 14.
He still has ambitions to play for Wales but is currently out in the cold after being continually overlooked by Warren Gatland.
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Sam Davies impresses again
Fellow Wales international Sam Davies is another Welsh exile tearing it up in the French second division.
The former Dragons fly-half has enjoyed an exemplary season for Grenoble in the Pro D2. Davies' side battered Aurillac on Friday, April 12 in a 55-10 victory.
A moment of brilliance from the 30-year-old ignited a move which culminated in an epic try for Grenoble to cap off a convincing win.
The eight-cap Wales player dinked a chip over the defensive line to launch at attack into broken field, with wing Wilfried Hulleu putting the finishing touches on a chaotic sequence.
You can watch the try below.
It wasn't the first time in the match that Davies was heavily involved either, soaking up a big hit in the opening exchanges to put Grenoble through for their first try after a neat offload.
Davies has been one of the best players in the division this season, winning numerous accolades and kicking more points than any other player in the league.
Cancer forces rugby player to step away
Auckland Blues star Cameron Suafoa has been forced to take a break from the game due to fatigue from his radiotherapy cancer treatment.
Via a Blues video on X, Suafoa revealed the difficult news, saying: "I've recently been diagnosed with cancer. I’ve been going through radiation treatment for the last month and a bit.
"In the mornings, I am normally pretty good, because I just woke up, I’m full of energy. It’s normally after 12 or one when I tend to decline, fatigue-wise. I get real tired easily."
It's this fatigue which has contributed to his decision to stop playing rugby.
"Right now, it is what it is. I can’t change the fact I am going through this. Hopefully I can come back from this fitter and stronger. Physically, I felt fine. Looking back on it, I probably wasn’t ready to admit, even to myself, that I was going through this. I guess I was in the denial stage. It was a few weeks before I told my family."
The 25-year-old continued to play Super Rugby despite having a tumour removed from his back late in 2023. He was even a fortnight into radiation treatment when he played against Hurricanes on March 9, reports Rugby365.
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Dan Sheehan signs two-year contract
Dan Sheehan has signed a two-year contract extension with Ireland and Leinster rugby.
The 25-year-old is arguably the greatest hooker in world rugby right now, and is without a doubt the most prolific try-scoring number two in the game.
Sheehan only made his debut against Japan in 2021, and has gone on to assert himself as the first choice hooker for club and country.
From there, he has earned 26 caps for Ireland and has been an integral part of the Grand Slam-winning 2023 side, as well as the championship-winning 2024 side.
Speaking on the new contract, Sheehan explained: "I am delighted to commit my future to Leinster and continue my playing career in Ireland. It means an enormous amount to wear the green of Ireland and blue of Leinster and I would like to thank all of my coaches, team-mates and support staff who help foster such positive environments. It is a hugely exciting time to be playing rugby in Ireland and I believe the best is yet to come at club and international levels in the months and years to come."
IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora said: "Dan is a world-class talent who continues to set the bar high in world rugby. His try-scoring stats are eye-catching but tell only part of the story of his value to the Ireland and Leinster dressing-rooms. It is a great boost for all supporters of Irish Rugby that he has decided to remain in Ireland over the coming seasons and I look forward to watching his development as he approaches the prime stages of his career."
