Willis Halaholo emerged as one of the new stars of the Six Nations this season as the Cardiff Blues player completed his journey from New Zealand provincial player to Wales international. A quarter of a century ago, Dale McIntosh charted the same route and believes their progress underlines the continuing strength in their homeland as he tells Graham Thomas. The rise of Willis Halaholo proves just how much depth there still is in New Zealand rugby, former Wales international Dale McIntosh has claimed. Halaholo picked up a Six Nations championship medal with Wales this season – eight years after Wayne Pivac opted not to offer the Cardiff Blues centre a senior contract when they were together at Auckland.

Welsh regional rugby reached a desperate low point at the weekend, gaining the one thing that’s always hard to stomach – English sympathy. As all four regions exited in Europe in varying degrees of disarray, it was left to Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson to try and raise some Welsh morale. After the Scarlets had followed the Ospreys, Dragons and Cardiff Blues in losing at the re-jigged last 16 stages of both European tournaments, Sanderson tried to put a positive spin on a bleak picture.

Dai Young has admitted Cardiff Blues have only themselves to blame for the defeat that ended hopes of a quarter-final place in Europe. The Blues’ director of rugby has told his players they need to learn from crucial errors – including missed tackles – after they collapsed late on to lose their European Challenge Cup tie at London Irish. Despite being down to 14 men, Irish came from 32-20 down to win 41-35 and leave the Blues with nothing left to play in this season apart from the new Rainbow Cup.

Dwayne Peel will have to break his contract with Cardiff Blues and could face his prospective employers in court, unless a compensation deal can be agreed that allows him to work at the Scarlets. The former Wales scrum-half is at the centre of a messy battle between the two Welsh regions after signing a deal with one, but wanting to now join the other. Currently still coaching at Ulster, Peel’s future has been thrown into uncertainty with the Scarlets interested in bringing their former star back to Llanelli and plucking him from the clutches of the Blues.

Cardiff Blues will be confined to the history books next season when the Welsh region rebrands itself as Cardiff Rugby. After 18 years as the Blues, the professional rugby team in the Welsh capital will change its name and image in a bid to get closer to its famous past and heritage created by Cardiff RFC. It means the Arms Park will now host two teams with almost identical names – Cardiff Rugby, who will play in the Guinness Pro14, and Cardiff Rugby Football Club, who play in the Welsh Premiership.

Dai Young insists the arrival of Rhys Priestland at Cardiff Blues will help develop Jarrod Evans – rather than drive him away. The Blues have confirmed that Priestland is moving to the Arms Park this summer after six seasons at Bath. The 34-year-old former Wales No.10 has signed a long-term contract at the Arms Park, where he will challenge Evans for the pivot role.

Dai Young’s arrival as interim Cardiff Blues director of rugby was music to the ears of wing Josh Adams who hopes the former Wasps boss can get him and his team firing on all cylinders. In nine years in English rugby, Young took Wasps to the Gallagher Premiership play-offs for three straight years between 2016 and 2018. His success in that time came with an enterprising brand of attacking rugby that had the likes of Danny Cipriani, Kurtley Beale, Willie le Roux and Christian Wade at its heart.

Dai Young believes Cardiff Blues are heading forwards after they secured back-to-back Guinness Pro 14 victories over the Scarlets with a 13-10 victory in Llanelli. The Blues won against their regional rivals for the second time inside a fortnight to give Young victory in his first match in charge since returning to the Arms Park. Once again, the Scarlets had most of the possession and territory but the Blues’ defence proved too strong for them to break down.

The Scarlets host Cardiff Blues on Friday night in a repeat of their showdown of a fortnight ago. That game ended with victory for the Blues and proved a spicy one with Liam Williams receiving a red card. The Blues’ former Scarlet Josh Turnbull reckons part two could be just as eventful, as he told Graham Thomas. Josh Turnbull admits there will be hunger on both sides when the Scarlets host Cardiff Blues on Friday night – but insists no-one will be looking to take a bite out of sidelined Liam Williams. The two regions sit down for second helpings just two weeks after tucking into each in a bruising, pulsating battle at the Cardiff City Stadium where Wales full-back Williams was sent off, before the Blues claimed a 29-20 victory.

Glenn Delaney believes his 14-man Scarlets side have learnt well from their defeat to the Cardiff Blues earlier in the month – and can now extract their revenge. The regions met at the start of January at the Cardiff City Stadium, with the capital region running out 29-20 winners. The big talking point was Liam Williams’ red card in the first half after a head-on-head clash with his Wales teammate, the Blues’ Shane Lewis-Hughes.

Dai Young has admitted he was left burnt by 16 years of non-stop coaching, but still believes there is enough fuel left in his tank to ignite Cardiff Blues. The new director of rugby at the Arms Park has only been appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season. But after just a week back in his former seat of power, Young has revealed he plans being around for another long haul if things go according to plan.

Scarlets coach Glenn Delaney has defended Liam Williams after his sending off against the Cardiff Blues which could cost Williams his Wales place at the start of the Six Nations. The Wales full back was sent off in the 37th minute to ruin Scarlets’ chances of a hat-trick of Welsh derby wins, as the Blues ran out victors, 29-20 at Cardiff City Stadium. Williams rushed headlong into a ruck and clashed heads with prone Blues flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes and, after TMO replays, the wing was ordered off.