Danny Wilson insisted his Cardiff Blues can be pleased with their Friday night efforts after they took maximum points from Lyon, who did little to alter perceptions that French clubs lack love for the European Challenge Cup. The Top 14 league leaders made 14 changes to their line-up for their opening tie at the Arms Park and the Blues – who made 10 changes themselves – took full advantage with a bonus point 29-19 victory. French clubs have always held ambivalent feelings towards both European tournaments, often thinking their domestic league positions need to be protected first and Europe is an after-thought, unless their fixture list is forgiving or the glint of silverware comes into view.

European rugby is back, but Robin Davey believes poor scheduling and some poor form means the Welsh regions will struggle to make much of a splash in their respective pools. European rugby takes centre stage this weekend, but before a ball is kicked there’s anger that clubs and fans are being given scant respect and in some cases treated with disdain. Already two clubs – the Scarlets and Wasps – have complained about schedules which are far too tight, especially at a time when concern about player welfare is so prevalent and rightly so.

Look out, Boris Johnson – Europe is on the march! At least, it is in rugby as the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup swing open the borders to competition this weekend. Although, as Geraint Powell notes, there are fewer people waving the flag with quite the enthusiasm of a few years ago. It’s a familiar story of English land grabs and cash battles which have spectacularly backfired. I recently looked in my personal blog at the question of the ongoing omission of a Welsh regional rugby double-header at the Principality Stadium in Round 5 of the Guinness Pro14 (https://thevietgwent.wordpress.com/2017/10/02/the-pro14-round-5-another-season-and-once-again-where-was-the-other-welsh-regional-derby-double-header-at-the-wru-stadium/), to kick start the regional season for the wider rugby public, even though there were Welsh derby matches in Round 6. A crowd of only 8,178, inclusive of the vocal Dragons travelling support, watched the Cardiff Blues secure a 43-29 win in the eastern derby on Friday evening.   

The Dragons travel to face the Cardiff Blues on Friday night in the first Guinness Pro14 Welsh derby of the season. For head coach Bernard Jackman it’s a yardstick by which to measure progress and despite a huge injury list there will be no excuses, as he tells Graham Thomas. Bernard Jackman insists his wounded Dragons will do much more than merely limp through their first derby clash under his charge. The Dragons’ recent record against the Cardiff Blues is not one to shout about, with just one victory in their last six meetings, but the persuasive Irishman coaching in his first Welsh derby on Friday night intends to ensure it is a memorable encounter for more than mere novelty.

Angry Lions, resurgent Dragons, and nose-diving Ospreys – Robin Davey examines the health of the beasts in the Welsh rugby game park after a dramatic few weeks on and off the field. Welsh rugby is never without its dramas and though we are only just into the second month of the current season they are there in abundance – some of the am-dram kind, but another with potential to please the critics. Who would have guessed little over a month ago that previous top-gunners the Ospreys would lose both their Wales and Lions half-backs Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb at the end of the season?

Danny Wilson has pledged to maintain his professionalism and remain committed to the end at Cardiff Blues – despite facing a long, drawn out departure in May. Last week, the Blues head coach sensationally turned down a contract extension at the capital city region, preferring instead to back his talent, go back onto the open market and find another challenge. Having spent more than a decade working his way up through the coaching ranks to earn the right to fill one of the top four posts in Welsh rugby below international level it was a decision that spoke volumes about the current situation at the Blues. They wanted him to stay, he stuck to his principles!

Coaches leaving the Cardiff Blues is nothing new in recent years, but the decision of Danny Wilson to quit next spring symbolises so much that has gone rapidly downhill, argues Rob Cole. From the chairman to the squad, to the commercial department, there is a need for overhaul. There are many ways to look at Danny Wilson deciding enough is enough as the head coach at Cardiff Blues. You could say he is leaving because he has potentially got a better offer to join a really big club in England, Northampton Saints, albeit in a less senior role.

Danny Wilson is leaving Cardiff Blues at the end of the season and Robin Davey is less than surprised at a “yo-yo” region where coaches are either on the up  . . . or the way down. The downbeat feel extends to the Ospreys and the Dragons, too, but at least he sees the Scarlets continuing to set the standards. The new rugby season is only a month old but already it’s a tale of woe for three of the Welsh regions with little prospect of things getting any better soon. Cardiff Blues, the Ospreys and the Dragons are all having their problems, though the Scarlets are an honourable exception having got their campaign off to a pretty effective start.

Not enough time at night to sit down and read the WRU’s latest accounts and annual report from cover to cover? No, we thought not. But don’t worry because Geraint Powell has and here are his half dozen headlines. Having reviewed the latest annual report from the Welsh Rugby Union (http://www.wru.co.uk/downloads/WRU_ARA_2017_1o.pdf), these six main themes can be appreciated from the underlying 2016-17 financial and other information. For those who have not yet read it, particularly Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers at the constituent member clubs of the WRU, I would, as with every other year, always recommend starting with the Strategic Report prepared by Finance Director Steve Phillips (pages 14-21) before reading the statements by Chief Executive Martyn Phillips, Chairman Gareth Davies, Head of Rugby Performance Geraint John and Head of Rugby Participation Ryan Jones.  

Cardiff Blues are looking for a new head coach for next season after confirming Danny Wilson is to leave at the end of the current campaign. The region informed their playing squad on Tuesday of Wilson’s decision not to take his spell at the Arms Park into a fourth season. That move was underlined with a statement on Wednesday morning, which insisted that the former Scarlets forwards coach would carry on at the helm for the remainder of the campaign.

Cardiff Blues flanker Ellis Jenkins was awarded the Stuart Gallacher memorial ‘Man-of-Judgement’ trophy by the Welsh Rugby Writers Association (WRWA) at its annual dinner on Wednesday night. Jenkins is the second winner of the award following British & Irish Lions, Wales and Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb, who picked it up in September 2016. This year’s WRWA Player of the Year award – also presented at the Cardiff Arms Park event – went to Justin Tipuric after his efforts for the Ospreys, Wales and the Lions

Cardiff Blues flanker Ellis Jenkins was awarded the Stuart Gallacher memorial ‘Man-of-Judgement’ trophy by the Welsh Rugby Writers Association (WRWA) at its annual dinner on Wednesday night. Jenkins is the second winner of the award following British & Irish Lions, Wales and Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb, who picked it up in September 2016. This year’s WRWA Player of the Year award – also presented at the Cardiff Arms Park event – went to Justin Tipuric after his efforts for the Ospreys, Wales and the Lions