These are the rugby headlines for Monday, January 1.

Lydiate calls for an international future

Veteran Welshman Dan Lydiat says “what happens, happens” as he talks about his international future ahead of the next Six Nations.

The 36-year-old was part of Warren Gatland’s Rugby World Cup squad this autumn but his playing time for France was limited, making just one appearance against Portugal in the group stage.

After returning to the Dragons after the tournament, he was injured again, suffering a fractured rib and dislocated finger against Leinster in November. It was the latest blow for the winger, who has suffered a series of injuries towards the end of his career, with a horrific knee injury and broken arm keeping him sidelined for his return to Test rugby in 2021.

But after recovering from a rib injury, Lydiath will return to action for Dai Flanagan’s side on Monday when they face the Scarlets in another Welsh derby. And while he intends to play a few more games, the striker insists he is not looking beyond the “here and now” as another Six Nations approaches and speculation surrounding his international future grows.

“I’ve been gone for five weeks,” he said. “Of course I went to the World Cup, which was a great experience, but to be honest I didn’t get much game time. I played against Portugal and probably lost other games because of the way I played well in defense. was, such is the nature of the beast.

“Coming back, playing that Baa-baas game and getting injured against Leinster, it’s been a bit uneven since I’ve been back, but I just want to focus on the here and now, trying to give the Dragons momentum. I never look too far ahead because it always comes back to haunt me. “What’s going to happen is going to happen, I’m just here to play well for the Dragons and I hope we can do that this weekend.”

The Welsh star is making the most of his moment

Bath didn’t finish 2023 as expected as they lost 35-22 to Leicester Tigers, but there was a moment to savor for Welsh teenager Louis Hennessy.

The Wales Under-20 star scored his first Premier League try for the visitors at Welford Road, diving under the posts eight minutes from time following a fine move from Max Ojomo. Although it was just a consolation goal, it was only Hennessy’s second Premier League game and the 19-year-old was delighted to score.

Although an unlikely comeback looked possible at one point, Leicester’s lead turned out to be too much for Bath, who grabbed a bonus point before the half-time whistle.

However, the try will boost Hennessy’s confidence heading into the new year, having impressed for Wales this year in the Under-20 Six Nations and Under-20 Rugby World Cup. In 2022, he was one of two Welshmen named to the NextGen XV World U18 Dream Team as he shone for Hartpury College in their ACE League title campaign.

His powerful running and offloading abilities have made him a future Wales full-back, with a sensational pass against Ireland earlier this year leading to a score that King Sonny Bill Williams described as “poetry in motion”. You can see this attempt here.

Scottish star a big doubt for Six Nations

Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith says he is “heartbroken” after winger Rory Darge suffered an injury that looks set to rule him out of the upcoming Six Nations.

The 23-year-old was forced to withdraw from the 1872 Warriors Cup clash against Edinburgh at URC due to a knee injury. While more will need to be done in the coming days to determine the severity of the injury, it now appears unlikely that he will participate in much of this year’s tournament, which begins in February, if at all.

It comes after Darge missed last year’s Six Nations following surgery on an ankle injury, having spent most of the season on the sidelines before earning a place in Scotland’s Rugby World Cup squad.

“I’m heartbroken for this guy, it feels like a serious injury,” Smith said after his team lost 19-14 to their arch-rival. “We hope that is not the case, for us and for Scotland, but we will know more during the week.

“Unfortunately, it’s his knee. He tried to steal the ball on our try line and was sidelined, similar to what happened to him at Scotstown about a year ago.

“There is still a lot of medical work to be done and then we will have a better estimate.”

“No pressure” on Feyi-Waboso as decision looms

Andrew Baldock, Pennsylvania rugby correspondent

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says the Chiefs will not progress to where Emmanuel Fahey-Waboso’s potential international career should go. The 21-year-old, eligible to represent Wales and England at Test level, will be eligible to feature in this season’s Guinness Six Nations.

Wales manager Warren Gatland and his English counterpart Steve Borthwick have no doubt taken note of Fahey-Waboso’s brilliant form, which was demonstrated by Gallagher’s tries in recent Premier League games against Newcastle and Bristol. Borthwick watched from the stands at Ashton Gate as the Exeter winger repeatedly threatened the Bristol defense and further cemented his box-office reputation.

Meanwhile, Gatland will announce his Six Nations squad in just over two weeks, and Cardiff-born Fahey-Waboso is believed to be firmly on the New Zealander’s radar. He agreed a new long-term contract with Exeter and also began studying medicine at the city’s university.

“He knows we don’t put pressure on him,” Baxter said. “Obviously I’m English and an England fan. If you choose England, great. But we never put pressure on (Wales forwards) Dafydd Jenkins or Christ Tshiunza. They came to us with no games and there was never any pressure from us about that, where their career should be.

“There will be no pressure from us. “Manny will make these decisions alone.”

Baxter is already a member of the Feyi-Waboso fan club and has seen it flourish since arriving from Wasps after the Coventry club went into administration.

“All he has to do is play rugby and gain experience and then the world will be his oysters,” Baxter added. “His rugby career will be whatever he chooses. Opportunities will open up for you if you work hard at your game.

“The reality is that you will need to be relatively injury-free for periods, you will need a reasonable amount of game time for periods, you will need to balance your studies and the rugby program and not burn out. for one reason or another, then there is a long way to go.

“We’ve been talking to him for about a year now, so he’s not exactly a newcomer, but in Premier League terms he is. The good thing about him is that he wants to improve. He doesn’t seem like a guy who suffers a lot from nerves and pressure.

“He is relatively calmer and when everything goes well, he will grow and become a very, very good player. He has excellent pace, strength and balance. He almost missed a tackle in training and started to spin backwards, and as he turned around, his hand bounced off the ground and he landed on his feet.

“You look at it and think, ‘How did you do that?’ But he doesn’t even know how he did it, he’s just a very talented athlete in many ways.”