I fell back in love with rugby in France - Moriarty

Ross Moriarty joined Ospreys this summer after two years at Brive

When Ross Moriarty headed to the second tier of French rugby, many feared it would mark the beginning of the end of his career.

He had made himself unavailable to Wales for the forthcoming World Cup - coincidentally also in France - having just signed a contract with the famous old club Brive.

Whether or not the abrasive back row, a Six Nations winner, World Cup semi-finalist and British and Irish Lions tourist, would have been selected is a moot point having fallen out of favour with Warren Gatland.

But Moriarty says it was possibly the best two years of club rugby in his career and reignited his passion for the game.

"I'd always wanted to play in France and it didn't disappoint. It was great," he said.

"It was a great place, a great town. Everyone was really in it for the rugby. I had missed that and while I was there, I think I got back the love of the game again and why I do it."

"It was a great experience. Rugby was like a religion there. We would average about 10 or 11,000 fans throughout the season and 15,500 for big games," he added.

"When you lost you really felt around the town and outside of training. It was full-on.

"But I got to play with some amazing players, young guys who have since gone to top clubs and a lot of ex-internationals. Courtney Lawes came last season, who I'd played with on the Lions tour."

Signing for Ospreys is a homecoming for Moriarty, the son of former Swansea back-row Paul who grew up in the city and took his first steps in rugby with the region's academy before forging his professional career at Gloucester.

"It's quite funny that I've come full circle," he said.

"I always had an ambition to play for the Ospreys, but it didn't go that way for me at the time (at the academy), he said.

"This is where I'm from, my family, my wife, so it makes sense. It's great to be back."

Moriarty has started all three United Rugby Championship fixtures so far this season, impressed with a typically aggressive performances that could fit new Wales head Steve Tandy's approach.

The 31-year-old insists Wales selection - Tandy names his autumn squad next week - is not his focus.

But having rediscovered his spark, selection would mark an impressive return for the back-row more than three years since he won the last of his 54 caps.