Talking points as Welsh rugby welcomes URC return

Cardiff and Dragons kick off a month of bumper derbies for the regions

Welsh rugby does not often look to the United Rugby Championship (URC) for salvation but rarely has it needed success as much as it does right now.

At the end of a torrid November for the national team, the focus this weekend returns to the regions with the URC so far offering some some rare glimmers of hope.

The last weekend before the Autumn Nations Series was the regions' most successful for three years in the league with a hat-trick of cross-border wins.

That has left two Welsh teams chasing play-off places in the top eight with more wins than the likes of Munster, Edinburgh and Stormers.

But plenty has changed since Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets rounded off the first block of matches with victories a month ago.

The next two months include a mix of three rounds of Welsh derbies as well as the entire pool stage of the European Challenge Cup before the Six Nations.

So what will they bring for the four regions?

Scarlets (sixth)

After yet another slow start, Scarlets have turned it around with successive wins over Cardiff, the previously unbeaten Bulls and Zebre.

Improvements up front have helped breath life into what was the second lowest scoring attack in the URC last season.

Instead, Gareth Davies is the league's joint top try-scorer (four), Ioan Lloyd is just two points off being the league top points scorer and Blair Murray has emerged as a real talent.

Key forward Vaea Fifita is back from injury while centre Joe Roberts is set to make his first appearance of the season in the European games.

"It's a big block for us coming ahead, starting on Friday night at the champions [Glasgow], and we're excited by it.

"We're pretty pleased with how the first block went and managed to get on the right side of those fine margins in the last few games."

Injured Sam Costelow (HIA) and Tom Rogers (calf) will miss this week, but are expected to return for the festive derbies.

Next URC fixtures: Glasgow (A), Ospreys (A), Dragons (H), Edinburgh (H)

Ioan Lloyd is the leading Welsh points scorer (41) in the URC this season

Cardiff (eighth)

Cardiff halted a run of three defeats with a remarkable comeback against Ulster on a rollercoaster night at the Arms Park.

It summed up their topsy-turvy form having been joint top of the league after the opening two weeks before their slump.

"It was a good time to end the first block after that win because it's a nasty feeling to end with a loss," said head coach Matt Sherratt.

"Shaun Edwards always said that losing the last game of a campaign was like lying on the beach with a pebble under your towel. You just can't get rid of that annoying feeling.

"We're only three points off third but only four points above 12th so it's an incredibly close league."

The break has allowed Cardiff to get the likes of international quartet Josh Adams, Alex Mann, Jacob Beetham and Seb Davies fit again with Taulupe Faletau back next month.

Mason Grady will not feature this period but Cardiff have a real opportunity to gain ground on the teams above.

Their next two URC fixtures are against Dragons, who they have beaten in the last 18 league meetings, before facing struggling Ospreys and Sharks at home.

Dan Thomas leads the league for turnovers while Teddy Williams, who did not get on the pitch for Wales this autumn, is second for tackles.

Next URC fixtures: Dragons (H), Dragons (A), Ospreys (H), Sharks (H)

Ospreys (14th)

Whether it was the demanding fixture list, a crippling injury list or the early confirmation of Toby Booth's departure at the end of the season, Ospreys desperately struggled in the opening block.

Booth will be disappointed Ospreys will not be playing at Bridgend's Brewery Field again this season - their only two wins of the season, against Stormers and Edinburgh, happened there.

That last success not only ended a run of three losses, but lifted them off the foot of the table, a depressing position after last season's late heroics to reach the play-offs.

Booth was glad of the break and is looking forward to facing Zebre in Parma on Saturday night.

"It's nice having a break in the season, especially when you're pretty depleted, because it gives you a chance to recharge mentally and physically," he said.

"Because you're putting a lot of the same load and effort into the same players, you can go back and polish up parts of your game, and all coaches like to be able to do that without the pressure of putting a performance together.

"It was good to get the win against Edinburgh, to get some momentum into that block and we're looking forward to getting going at Zebre."

Adam Beard's injury is a blow, but there are players returning while they have signed Wales-qualified New Zealander Ieuan Cornelius during the break. Morgan Morris has the most successful carries in the entire URC.

Next URC fixtures: Zebre (A), Scarlets (H), Cardiff (A), Benetton (H)

Dragons (15th)

Can new head coach Filo Tiatia turn Dragons around?

For one glorious week at the start of the season, it looked like Dragons had finally turned the corner.

But victory on the opening weekend against Ospreys proved a false dawn and despite coming so close to beating both Sharks and Lions, five successive losses ended with Dai Flanagan being shown the door.

Filo Tiatia, a league winner as a player with Ospreys, has stepped up from defensive responsibility as the latest coach to try and break a losing culture and breath fire into the Dragons.

"Our players are capable of more than they think and there's an opportunity to achieve things that they think are not achievable," he said.

"So it’s actually about selling belief but also how do you challenge them to try and achieve individually and as a group."

They have grafters in Brodie Coghlan, among the league's leading tacklers and Shane Lewis-Hughes is second for turnovers, while Taine Basham is joint top try-scorer.

Losing captain Ben Carter for this entire block with a knee injury is a major blow, but Aaron Wainwright is back while long-term absentees Ashton Hewitt and new signing Solomone Funaki are close to availability.

Next URC fixtures: Cardiff (A), Cardiff (H), Scarlets (A), Munster (H)