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Sam Davies pens new Pro D2 deal despite English and Welsh interest

Wales Sam Davies during the International friendly match between Wales and Barbarians at the Principality Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Former Wales fly-half Sam Davies has extended his stay with Pro D2 leaders Grenoble despite attracting interest from both the Gallagher Premiership and the United Rugby Championship.

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The 31-year-old made the move to France from Dragons in 2023 and will now stay with the club until at least 2028 with this new deal.

It had been reported that the eight-cap Wales international had made Leicester Tigers’ shortlist, while the Scarlets had contacted him over a potential return to Wales.

With Grenoble sitting at the top of the Pro D2 table currently, five points ahead of Brive, Davies will be eyeing promotion to the Top 14 next season. Even if they finish at the summit of the league, they will still be required to win the promotion play-off to find themselves at French rugby’s top table next season.

Fixture
Pro D2
Grenoble
35 - 15
Full-time
US Montauban
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Even if Davies were to be playing in France’s top division next season, he would still be ineligible to revive his Wales career, as he falls under the 25-cap threshold to play abroad.

The Welshman was just one of a spate of re-signings at the Alpine club, with eight more players putting pen to paper, including captains Antonin Berruyer and Romain Fusier.

Alongside back-row Berruyer and centre Fusier, who have both signed deals until 2027, props Zack Gauthier and Eli Eglaine, hooker Lilian Rossi, scrum-halves Eric Escande and Barnabé Couilloud, and lock Thomas Ployet have also committed their futures to the club.

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Grenoble host Montauban on Thursday, before facing Provence a week later, which could see Davies come up against compatriot George North. The Welsh great is yet to play since rupturing his Achilles in his final ever Wales outing in last year’s Guinness Six Nations, but has now returned to training with his comeback imminent. The contest against Grenoble may just come too soon for him, however.

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fl 1 hour ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

176 Go to comments
J
JW 5 hours ago
French bid to poach 109kg 17-year-old dual-code Aussie prospect Heinz Lemoto

Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.


They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).


That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).

9 Go to comments
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