Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday 1 April.
Ex-Wales U20s wing signs for Ospreys as injury cover
Ospreys have signed former Wales Under-20 wing Harri Doel as injury cover for Alex Cuthbert until the end of the season.
Wales wing Cuthbert was ruled out of his nation's final two 2023 Six Nations games by a foot injury. Doel had been playing for Worcester, before being left without a job when the club went out of business earlier this season.
Since then, he's been working on a building site while turning out for Llandovery in the Welsh Premiership, in the hopes of getting back into professional rugby.
Worcester signed Doel from the Scarlets back in 2021, with the wing actually turning out for his former Welsh club in their recent friendly against Saracens in March as he looked to get back into the pro game.
After losing his job at Worcester and joining up with Llandovery, he said: “I still have ambitions to play as a professional and Llandovery have told me if a pro club comes in I can make a decision, but the main thing for me now is to pull on the jersey once again and do all I can for the Drovers. They mean a lot to me.”
He added: “It’s tough in Wales at the minute, because there’s all this stuff with the Welsh Rugby Union going on and whether there’ll be enough money to contract players in Wales. The priority is to sort out contracts with players at the professional sides, I understand that.
“But I’m still hopeful something will come along for next season." He now has the chance to prove himself at the Ospreys.
Cardiff hoping to finish with bang ahead of departures
Cardiff captain Josh Turnbull hopes the Arms Park side can finish the season strongly for those set to depart the club this summer.
Dai Young's men still have a chance of reaching the United Rugby Championship play-offs, while they take on Sale tonight in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
And the prospect of Europe is driving them on as the financial uncertainty of Welsh rugby means a number of players will likely leave this summer.
“This tournament is an opportunity for a few players to go out with a bang,” says Cardiff captain Turnbull.
“People might think the mood in training has not been good of late with everything that has been going on, but the boys have been excellent.
“We went through a rough patch, but we have come through it and this match is our first taste of knockout rugby for a quite a while and presents us with a fantastic opportunity.”
The match against Sale will also be Cardiff's first since the death of Peter Thomas, with the club set to honour the memory of their former chair and benefactor before kick-off.
Speaking about the desire to provide a fitting tribute on the pitch to a man who contributed so much to Cardiff, Josh Adams said: “He is a massive loss to the club, for what he’s contributed over the number of years he’s been involved with Cardiff.
“There’s no doubt that, without Peter and his generosity and contributions, we wouldn’t have Cardiff Rugby today. That’s something we, as a squad, can clearly see and hugely appreciate.
“To donate and give so much to Cardiff out of his own pocket over the years is really generous. It’s not something he had to do, but it goes to show how much he cared for the club and everyone involved with Cardiff and how much he wanted the club to succeed.
“It’s been a bit of a strange and emotional week, losing such a significant figure at the club. Fingers crossed that the performance on Saturday night will be a fitting tribute to Peter.
“It’s the biggest motivation for us this week. Going out to perform on the weekend is what he would've wanted us to do.
“Saturday will all be about remembering Peter and what a great servant he’s been for the club to keep us going. Saturday will all be for him."
S4C – Saturday, 7.40pm: Rygi Ewrop – Cardiff v Sale Sharks
Live coverage of the European Challenge Cup round of 16 tie between Cardiff and Sale Sharks from Cardiff Arms Park.
Fifita's wonder try
Scarlets' Challenge Cup hero Vaea Fifita says he's keen to just go out and have fun when they take on Clermont in the quarter-final next week.
The west Walians booked their place in the last eight with a 19-7 win over Brive on Friday night, thanks in part to Fifita's stunning solo try. Speaking to S4C after his man-of-the-match performance, the All Black said: "The boys have been talking this whole week about being physical up front, especially against a quality team.
"For us, we're happy. But now we leave it and move on. We're looking forward to a challenge next week."
Admitting his try was one of those moments where "you just play what's in front of you", he said he'll just be looking to enjoy himself against Clermont next week.
"I think for me, it's just go out there and have fun. Don't do too much. Just go out there, express myself and make sure I'm enjoying myself at the same time."
Dragons to be privately-owned again by July after new deal signed
The Dragons are set to be privately-owned by July after the four regions and the Welsh Rugby Union signed off on a new Professional Rugby Agreement.
As part of that new financial framework, one of the conditions was that the Dragons would have to come out of WRU majority ownership.
The South Wales Argus report they have 90 days to complete the deal.
Having signed the new deal alongside Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets, Dragons chairman David Buttress will now have to ensure they are a privately-owned entity like the other three.
Only a matter of weeks ago, he told WalesOnline a deal was close on taking the Dragons private, adding that it "would be a team of four private investors with myself being chair".
Read more:
Welsh region announce eight players have signed new deals and Springboks coach to join England
European rugby's top try scorer believes Wales chances are now over
