The Ospreys hammered the Cardiff Blues 46-24 in the first of the Guinness Pro12 Welsh derby matches. But it is not only on the pitch where there is a marked difference between the two regions, argues Geraint Powell. The Pro12 derby match between the Ospreys and the Blues is so much more than a rugby match, not merely a clash of East v West but, a clash between entirely opposing regional rugby cultures and philosophies. The neutrals mostly drawn towards Ospreylia.

Danny Wilson has ripped into his Cardiff Blues players – and his own coaching – after their derby night hammering by the Ospreys. The Blues coach watched his team lose 46-24 at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night, a scoreline that deceivingly suggests the visitors were half as good as the hosts. They weren’t.

Gareth Anscombe has conceded the Cardiff Blues are heavily in debt to the Ospreys ahead of Friday night’s Guinness Pro 12 derby. The Blues outside-half – who has been denied a head-to-head with his Wales rival Dan Biggar by the Ospreys’ decision to pick Sam Davies – admits the one-sided nature of recent clashes means a Blues win is long overdue.

Danny Wilson has told his Cardiff Blues they must become more ruthless if they are to beat the best in the Guinness Pro12. The Blues lost for the first time this season when they went down 16-13 to Leinster at the Arms Park on Saturday night.

Danny Wilson says he would have leapt at the offer of an unbeaten start to the Cardiff Blues’ Guinness Pro 12 campaign – despite dismissing their latest display as “average”. The Blues head coach saw his team secure their second place in the table after an edgy 23-21 victory in Italy against Zebre on Saturday.

Danny Wilson has been showered with praise by the coach who intends to end Cardiff Blues’ unbeaten start to the season on Friday night. Gregor Townsend – whose own Glasgow side have also begun their Guiness Pro 12 campaign with two victories – believes his Blues counterpart has transformed the region since he took over last year.

Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson believes he finally has the kinds of headaches he always wanted. A year ago – not long after succeeding Mark Hammett – Wilson was often left with brain pain over how to shuffle his meagre resources.

Nick Williams can provide the power to light up the Arms Park this season, according to his Cardiff Blues coach Danny Wilson. Williams, signed from Ulster in the summer, provided the energy supplies for the Blues and one of their four tries as they hammered Edinburgh 34-16 in their opening Guinness Pro12 fixture.

Bradley Davies has admitted Wales were given “a right kicking” by the All Blacks this summer – but insists his teammates are ready to respond. Davies, who left the tour early because of a knee injury, has been declared fit for the start of the season which kicks off on September 2.

GARETH Anscombe is expecting a black and red fan club when he returns to New Zealand in a fortnight. The Celtic Kiwi reckons half his old mates will turn up to cheer him on for Wales, but admits some could never do anything other than back the All Blacks.

Rhys Webb can be the Ospreys general who continues their battlefield dominance over the Cardiff Blues, according to his coach. Steve Tandy believes Webb’s recent elevation to captain will be a decisive factor in Saturday’s Judgement Day clash at the Principality Stadium.

Sam Warburton picks his way through the scattered chairs inside the empty Cardiff Blues players’ lounge and finds a seat near the dartboard. “You wouldn’t sit here normally,” he says. “You’d probably get a dart in your head.”