Here are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, October 7.
Wales identify giant lock's potential
Ospreys lock Rhys Davies is a player Wales see as having big potential, according to regional boss Toby Booth.
Davies, 23, starts for the Ospreys in Ulster on Saturday in the absence of Alun Wyn Jones and Adam Beard. He was previously called in to train with Wales last summer but has never been capped. That could change in the near future if he continues his development and Booth has high hopes for the 6ft 6in former Bath man.
“Rhys is a very good player who’s learning all the time," said Booth. "He is very diligent and tough — he plays tough.
“He’s been into a couple of Welsh camps for them to have a look at him.
“We’re all joined up about where we can get him to. The fact that he’s been invited into those camps means they see him as a player of potential, as do we. So that’s exciting.”
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Hogg considered quitting
Scotland legend Stuart Hogg has revealed that he almost walked away from rugby after receiving hateful messages.
"I come across as a confident, happy person. But deep down at times, I've struggled and I've hated it," said Hogg, speaking to BT Sport prior to Exeter Chief's clash against Bristol Bears on Friday night.
A three-time tourist with the Lions and a stalwart with the Scotland national team, Hogg has been in the limelight for over 10 years.
"I've actually been very, very close at times to thinking why am I putting myself through all the stress and strains? My body's feeling absolutely horrendous and I'm getting dog's abuse at the weekend, why am I doing it?
Hogg left Glasgow Warriors in 2019 and joined Exeter, where he would go on to win the Champions Cup and Gallagher Premiership in 2020.
"There was a time a couple of years ago where I thought you know what - why am I playing rugby?
"I'm constantly coming home and I'm in a foul mood with my wife and kids all because some clown has said something about me. I'm like, why am I doing this?
"I thought, you know what - is it easier if I just walk away from the game and then I'll never have that again? Or do I suck it up and think, right, no matter what you do you're always going to get hate."
Dragons rip up team
The Dragons have made 10 changes to the side to face Benetton in Italy on Sunday (2.45pm KO).
Ben Carter captains the team for the first time, with a host of players left out or rested. Full-back Angus O'Brien, wing Rio Dyer, centre Jack Dixon and hooker Elliott Dee are the only other players who remain following the narrow 20-19 defeat to the Sharks last time out.
Prop Rob Evans and centre Max Clark make their first starts for Dragons.
Benetton: Edoardo Padovani; Marcus Watson, Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Ignacio Mendy; Tomas Albornoz, Dewaldt Duvenage (capt); Ivan Nemer, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Scott Scrafton, Federico Ruzza, Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Manuel Arroyo, Thomas Gallo, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolò Cannone, Toa Halafihi, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Marco Zanon, Mattia Bellini.
Dragons RFC: Angus O'Brien; Rio Dyer, Max Clark, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser; JJ Hanrahan, Lewis Jones; Rob Evans, Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ben Carter (c), Sean Lonsdale, Ben Fry, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Bradley Roberts, Rhodri Jones, Lloyd Fairbrother, Ross Moriarty, Taine Basham, Rhodri Williams, Sam Davies, Steff Hughes
Farrell 'the best rugby league player of the last 10 years'
England star Owen Farrell has been hailed as the “the best rugby league player of the last 10 years” despite not having played a game in the 13-a-side game.
England rugby league captain Sam Tompkins, who himself flirted with the idea of a code switch back in 2011, believes that Saracens playmaker Farrell has all the tools to succeed in league - adding that he would have been better than his dad, Andy.
Speaking on Jim Hamilton's podcast, The Big Jim Show, Tompkins said: “I think Owen would be the best player in Super League every single year.
“He’s that good. He’s the best rugby league player of the last 10 years and he’s never played a game.
“If you had to design a rugby league player, and got all the best rugby league brains in the world and came up with a player, it’d be Owen Farrell, without doubt.
“He’s tough, he’s resilient, he’s very smart, he reads the game very well. He can kick, he can pass. If you run into him, he’ll smash you. He’s got everything. I’m Owen’s biggest fan, as you can probably tell.
“There isn’t a bit of his game that he lacks. He pushes things a bit far sometimes and might [be penalised for] a high tackle, but you need that in league. You have to have that in your armoury and sometimes, you can have amazing players that don’t have that bit of grit that Owen has got.
“Owen has the perfect blend, I think, and if he had played Super League, I think he’d be the best player we’ve ever seen. His dad was one of, if not the best. His uncle, Sean O’Loughlin, is one of the very best in the last 15 years, so why would he not be? I think he’d be better than his dad, better than his uncle and better than anyone in the last 10 years.”
Read more:
Jonathan Davies' rugby-playing cousin dies 10 years after tragedy during match
Scarlets v Cardiff team news as Dai Young makes eight changes after turbulent week
Dan Biggar to leave Northampton as Welsh regions put on alert
