As Sam Davies picked up the phone to WalesOnline earlier this week, not even 24 hours had passed since his new club, Grenoble, had been relegated to France's third tier for financial mismanagement.
You'd have forgiven him for having ducked the call, or, at the very least, sound a little stressed beyond the initial pleasantries. That's not the case though.
For a man as busy as Davies, though, he probably doesn't have the time to feel stressed. Before he even gets out to France for the next step of his career, there's the small matter of getting married in America, while he has also brought out a new gin with his fiance, Elianna Chavez.
There's a lot currently going on.
On the topic of Grenoble's demotion, which you can read about here, he admits it was a "bit of a heart-in-mouth moment" when the articles started to appear, but he's had reassurances that all should be fine and Grenoble should be fine to start the season in Pro D2 in August.
Having decided to leave Wales after a season quite unlike any other, with financial uncertainty and the threat of strike action, this latest twist is hopefully just a minor inconvenience.
“No, it’s pretty crazy," said Davies. "You see London Irish disappearing and it’s not looking good for anyone in the rugby world.
"It's a worrying time. I’m glad I got it sorted, albeit later than I’d have liked. But some boys are looking for contracts in a climate where there’s not many jobs.
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"So I’m happy I got it over the line when I did. I feel for the boys who haven’t got anything at the minute as I don’t feel there’s a time when the game has been on its knees as much as it is right now. It’s worrying for the game and obviously worrying for the boys who can’t get contracts as well."
A move to France first came about towards the start of the year, with Davies first hearing whispers that Grenoble were interested around February.
Cardiff, having lost both fly-halves ahead of next season, were briefly an option, but the fly-half had a desire to sample a new culture, rather than stay in Wales.
"Normally, the French teams like to take their time and get signings done later," he added. "But I was quite keen to get it all done amongst the madness going on in Wales. It didn’t get over the line until pretty late, but it was always ongoing. We got it over the line about two months ago.
"I couldn’t help but feel that I’d done Wales, so to speak. It was time for a move to a new place and changing people’s perceptions is a positive thing to do. Moving to a new country will help me do that. I’m 29 years old and I think I’ve got some of my best rugby left in me to play.
"But I can’t help but feel it had to be away from Wales. Some of that is down to people’s perceptions. I’ve played in Wales all my life and I needed a fresh slate. I could have stayed in Wales and maybe gone to Cardiff, but I don’t think that would really have been a fresh slate in terms of the league.
"I’ve played in the league all my life. By playing in a new league and new culture, it’ll really bring me out of my shell and challenge me. I’m something who likes challenges and I think it’ll benefit my performance."
As he prepares for the move to France, Davies admits he's been leaning on the likes of Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb for some advice. Not just on the culture, but the language as well - given Biggar is near-fluent in French after half a year in Toulon.
Having started at the Ospreys alongside those two, the former IRB Junior Player of the Year spent four seasons at the Dragons. The hope was that the move might have helped his international career, but that didn't quite pan out.
Davies leaves for France with just eight caps to his name and the sense that he could have done more, although contact from the Welsh camp isn't something he'd experienced for a long time.
"As much as I thought I could contribute internationally, I haven’t got 25 caps and I’m going to France," he admits. "It’s unlikely I’ll ever be back in the squad unless something changes drastically. I still feel my best rugby is to come, albeit in a different country."
While it wasn't always plain sailing in Newport, it's a time in his career that he will look back on fondly, adding: "When I get a chance to sit back and look at my career as a whole, I think it was a really positive move from the Ospreys to the Dragons.
"I think in that first season, I changed people’s perceptions. The second year was good too. The third year was tough, but I don’t think we were a million miles off. At times, we were battling and we couldn’t seem to get a result. Maybe I wasn’t playing my best rugby at times in that third year, but I wasn’t far off.
"When I knew I was leaving, it gets tough to get gametime. I thought I played well this year and maybe there were times I thought I should have been playing, but you’re not. But they know you’re moving on so that’s going to happen. It’s uncomfortable to sit in that position but it’s something I understood it had to happen.
“In terms of that last season, there was more competition than I had before. That’s fine, but I started the season injured with my knee. I was already chasing then, with my contract up and no room at the Dragons for me. It was kind of falling out of my favour. I think it worked against me the year before when we couldn’t buy a result but I wasn’t pulled out of the team at any stage.
"Sometimes you need that break when things aren’t going well. I was in there all the time and it’s a tough environment when you’re losing all the time. The last two years weren’t as good as the first two, but I couldn’t help being injured.
"Last year isn’t one I’ll look back on fondly, but definitely the years before that and the friendships I made are ones I’ll have for the rest of my life. The Dragons are a big part of my life. But you have to move on and I wanted to experience something new outside of Wales."
Another reason his final year perhaps wasn't a vintage one was the general uncertainty facing Welsh rugby. The crisis reached breaking point during the Six Nations, with the threat of strike action ahead of the England game leading to all professional players in Wales being called to the Vale of Glamorgan resort for an important meeting with Welsh rugby bosses.
The strike was avoided, but there's still the sense that things are about to get worse, not better, as budgets tighten and squads sizes fall.
“That’s probably the peak of it," admits Davies. "We’ve had chats before about teams folding or disappearing.
"I was at the Ospreys when we were told about the merger with the Scarlets. That never happened, but it was nothing like having a meeting at the Vale with the WRU.
"It all came to a head this year where fortunately the WRPA started to do more work than it has in the past for us. We were able to gain a bit of traction with that.
"It would have been tough for the Union as they were being questioned by the players. It’s something that wouldn’t have happened before.
"It was good for the player’s union, but it’s not healthy. It’s not something you want to be doing. You don’t want it happening in the future, but you can’t help but feel that it won’t again.
"If they carry on as four, my opinion is that I don’t think they’ll be able to exist in the long-term. It doesn’t seem as if it’s financially doable and it doesn’t seem like the teams can be competitive with the squad sizes they’ve got. I’d love to be wrong, but common sense says it isn’t viable."
For now, though, that won't be Davies' immediate concern. He's one of many bidding farewell to Welsh rugby this summer. As mentioned before though, he's got a fairly busy time coming up before his new season in France begins.
In the space of seven weeks or so, Davies will have moved to France, started pre-season and then flown out to America to get married.
“Elianna's from Austin, Texas so we’re getting married there," adds Davies. "It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be warm and I’m wearing a three-piece so I might be crawling up the aisle if the wedding is outside!"
The pair met during Covid, while Elianna was studying at Cardiff Met. She had arrived on a scholarship to play football - "or soccer, as she calls it," interjects Davies - for the Archers, while also studying international business management.
After Cardiff Met, Elianna joined Cardiff City Ladies, helping them to promotion this season. However, Davies' move to France means she'll be looking for a new club next year. "I’ve promised she can switch from football to skiing so I think she’s quite keen on that!
"But it may be the case that we look to get her into the Grenoble team. I think she’d fit in there. If she’s comfortable with the language and missing football over there, she can look at that. We’ve already reached out and they’re keen to have a meeting. She’s a very good footballer."
As for that latter detail, the business nous has proven crucial in their new venture together. Having first met over a gin and tonic, the pair have now launched a new gin that draws upon their own story together.
The name, Toca Vida, is Spanish for 'Touch Life' - a nod to Elianna's Spanish father. The bottle is adorned with images of an eagle and a dragon, symbolising America and Wales.
"We first met over a gin and tonic and it’s now her favourite drink," he says. "That’s why she wants to bring one out.
"Americans don’t drink gin as much as other drinks like whiskey so she thinks there’s a scope there. Her future dream is to take it to America.
"She did international business. She knows what she’s talking about. I don’t know what my value is!
"I’m really impressed by how it’s come out, although what do you expect with a fiancée who has a masters degree in business!
"Obviously I’m biassed but I feel we’ve got a nice-tasting product as well. It was just the right time to do something like this. We’re getting married in seven weeks. There’s lots going on. Move to France, fly to America to get married, then start the season on August 18.
"Hopefully it'll settle down then and I can focus on rugby!"
Read more:
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