Ross Moriarty’s difficult week ended with the Wales international having to leaving the field after just four minutes in the Dragons’ Challenge Cup encounter against the Emirates Lions in Ystrad Mynach.
The 54-cap forward had found himself left out in the cold when Warren Gatland named his squad for the Six Nations.
The assumption had been that the hard-nut back rower would want to show Wales’ head coach exactly what he was missing.
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But luck was not on Moriarty’s side for the pool-stage encounter. On the occasion of his 50th appearance for the Dragons, he left the field after picking up a worrying head knock while attempting to tackle Lions full-back Andries Coetzee.
Chasing a high kick from Lewis Jones, Moriarty had steamed forward as Coetzee made the catch, only to take a nasty blow from the No. 15’s elbow as the South African landed.
With dad Paul watching from the sidelines, Ross as stayed on the floor for a couple of minutes while medics administered treatment. He was then helped from the field, with Aaron Wainwright coming on as a replacement.
It wasn't the best end to a week Moriarty would probably rather forget, with many having fully expected him to win a Wales recall under Gatland.
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