Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Thursday, May 26.
'Electric' Welsh youngster commits to region
Wales international Tom Rogers has signed a new deal to remain with the Scarlets ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The 23-year-old wing/full-back, who made his Scarlets debut in 2017, has notched up eight tries in 30 appearances so far and will hope to add to that impact next term. The region will be backing him to kick on in either position given Liam Williams' exit for Cardiff.
The Sevens international was called up by Wayne Pivac to feature in Wales' matches against Canada and Argentina last summer, and although it wasn't the smoothest path into Test rugby - he had played just 15 games for the Scarlets at that point - it served to be an invaluable experience nonetheless.
He has been touted in some quarters as potentially filling the boots of Liam Williams, with Rogers previously saying: "Being compared to Sanjay is awesome. He was my idol growing up. Just to be anything like him would be amazing."
Head coach Dwayne Peel said: "Tom is one of a number of young home-grown back-three players we are excited about at the club. He is a player who works hard on his game and is always looking to learn and get better. He has electric pace work and superb footwork, but is also strong in the air and has a great work ethic in defence."
Rogers said: "I have enjoyed the season and the style of rugby we are looking to play, which suits my game. With the competition in the back three, we know we have to make the most of opportunities when they come and Dwayne has shown he will give the jersey to young players if they are playing and training well enough."
Rogers joins a number of team-mates who have signed fresh Scarlets contracts, including Sam Lousi, Rhys Patchell, Scott Williams, Ryan Conbeer, Johnny McNicholl, Gareth Davies, Jonathan Davies, Sam Costelow, Steff Thomas and Tomas Lezana.
Lousi does Scarlets double
Maybe his performance against the Dragons at Rodney Parade last month was one of the displays of the season in Welsh rugby. Thinking about it, there’s no ‘maybe’ about it.
Sam Lousi was a Harlem Globetrotter, an athlete and a thoroughly modern-day rugby player rolled into one, with outrageous handling that took the breath away, speed and agility around the field, steel in defence and expertise over the ball and at lineouts.
Later, much of the focus was on the memorable moment he held the ball high in the air with his left hand, persuading Dragons scrum-half Gonzalo Bertanou to look upwards instead of making the tackle, with Lousi easing his way across for the try.
WalesOnline’s man at Rodney Parade, Ben James, described Lousi’s exploits thus: “Ball grasped in one hand, like a Tic Tac. Arm swinging around like a sixth-former keeping a school bag off a helpless year seven.” The word-picture did justice to what we had seen.
Afterwards, Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel saluted the rangy lock, saying: “When you consider overseas players who have come into the Welsh game he’s up there. I’ve been lucky to play with some of the great overseas players like Regan King who have come in and not only contributed on the field, but the young players have learnt so much from them. Sam is having that effect on this squad.”
Nor was his performance in Newport a one-off. Louis has been playing superbly all season.
It’s come as no surprise, then, that the 30-year-old Tonga international should be the big winner at the Scarlets end-of-season awards. The second row did the double — voted the players’ player of the season and supporters’ player of the campaign, sponsored by Owens Group.
Fellow Tongan international Sione Kalamafoni was the coaches’ choice as player of the year, an award sponsored by Oil 4 Wales. Breakthrough player of the term went to Sam Costelow, while Ryan Conbeer’s hat-trick score against the Ospreys was the fans’ choice for try of the season.
Esterhuizen wins players' player of the year award
Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen has won the Rugby Players' Association players' player of the year award.
Esterhuizen polled the highest number of votes from his fellow professionals, having enjoyed an outstanding season during Quins' bid to defend the Gallagher Premiership title. The South African has proved a pivotal figure in them reaching next month's play-offs, when they will meet Leicester or Saracens.
"It is an incredible honour to win this award and for it to be voted by all the players and teams that I've played with and against makes it even more special," Esterhuizen said.
Leicester and England full-back Freddie Steward, meanwhile, claimed an awards double. He was named young player of the year, beating Quins fly-half Marcus Smith, London Irish back Henry Arundell and Sale Sharks prop Bevan Rodd.
Steward, 21, also won England men's player of the year ahead of Smith and his Leicester team-mate Ellis Genge. Marlie Packer won the England women's player of the year award, while Quins scrum-half Danny Care took the RPA's special merit award.
Elsewhere, the RPA's Blyth Spirit award went to Kevin Sinfield and Andrew Fenby, former England women's star Katy Daley-McLean was inducted into the RPA's hall of fame and Leicester wing Chris Ashton breaking the Premiership's all-time try-scoring record was voted moment of the season.
Dragons prop signs new deal
Dragons prop Aki Seiuli has signed a contract extension to remain at the Welsh region for next season. The 29-year-old left Glasgow Warriors for the Gwent region ahead of 2021-22.
Dragons boss Dean Ryan said Seiuli "has been a consistent performer for us who showed his durability by featuring in all but one fixture last season".
The New Zealand-born player said: "I've made some good friends over here and enjoy living in Wales. I'm also looking forward to playing alongside one of my good mates in Sio [Tomkinson] I'm already looking forward to a better season next year because I know we have got the squad to do that. We have a great bunch of lads and a good group here who are all ready to go and do some good things next year, and that's what has influenced me to stay on."
Edinburgh sign winger from Hurricanes
Edinburgh have signed free-scoring South African-born winger Wes Goosen from Super Rugby side Hurricanes. The former New Zealand Under-20 international will join up with Mike Blair's squad ahead of next season.
The 26-year-old has scored 30 tries in 66 Super Rugby appearances for his Wellington-based team and can also play at outside centre.
Goosen, who moved to New Zealand aged four, said: "Supporters can expect consistency from me. I'm a determined and selfless player who is hungry to make sure we take home the win. I'm looking forward to taking what I've learnt in my years in New Zealand and giving it my all in Edinburgh. I've watched a few Edinburgh games this year which makes me really excited to get out there and play alongside the current players. I really like what Mike is doing with the attack. It's such an exciting brand of rugby."
Head coach Blair added: "We believe this is a fantastic signing and think Edinburgh supporters will love what they're getting in Wes. He's quick, explosive and a brilliant finisher to boot. He'll bring a new dynamic to an already exciting back-three unit who've been impressive all season."
