The Ospreys completed a miserable weekend for the Welsh regions in Europe as they conceded six tries in a 38-5 defeat to Montpellier in the EPCR Challenge Cup. All four Welsh regions lost in Europe, leaving them with a collective record of two victories from their opening eight matches. Last season Toby Booth’s Ospreys side completed a notable double over the then French champions in the Champions Cup, but they were no match for the home side in Round 2 of this season’s second tier tournament against the bottom placed side in the Top 14.

Merab Sharikadze will renew his rivalry with Scarlets cente Johnny Williams at Parc Y Scarlets in the second round of the EPCR Challenge Cup on Friday night in a game against Black Lion that is a potential banana skin for Dwayne Peel’s home side. The Scarlets were highly competitive, yet ultimately well beaten, in their opening game in Pool 3, going down 36-14 in Castres.

Wales fly-half contender Ioan Lloyd produced a “box office” display in the Scarlets’ 29-23 bonus point victory over Cardiff Rugby at a packed Arms Park. The No 10 spot in the Six Nations is very much up for grabs with Dan Biggar having retired from international rugby and Gareth Anscombe unavailable following his move to Japan, while Sam Costelow is currently out injured.

Dwayne Peel believes his Scarlets teams have answered questions over their character with their victory at Cardiff – although he knows there are tougher examinations to come. The head coach saw his team gain a bonus point 29-23 win at the Arms Park, where home flanker Ellis Jenkins was sent off for a dangerous tackle after 28 minutes. It’s a result that bunches three of the Welsh regions together in the lower mid-reaches of the United Rugby Championship (URC) table with the Ospreys in 11th, Cardiff in 12th and the Scarlets 13th.

Dwayne Peel has admitted his sinking Scarlets were second rate in a one-sided derby defeat to the Ospreys in Swansea. The Scarlets coach watched his team suffer a crushing 31-9 humbling at the Swansea.com Stadium at the hands of their fiercest rivals.

The Ospreys have been dealt a cruel blow ahead of their massive west Wales derby with Scarlets on Sunday with skipper Justin Tipuric being ruled out of action for up to two months. The 93-times capped triple British & Irish Lions tourist broke his thumb in the defeat to Dragons at Rodney Parade last weekend and will undergo surgery next week.

It was a weekend to forget for the Welsh regions, with all four teams losing at home in the United Rugby Championship – but it could have been such a different story. Both the Scarlets and Ospreys were leading with less than five minutes to go against the Emirates Lions and Glasgow Warriors respectively, only to concede late scores.

Wales fly-half Sam Costelow is expected to be sidelined until January after suffering shoulder and hamstring injuries. Scarlets playmaker Costelow was hurt during Wales’ 49-26 victory over the Barbarians on Saturday and went off at half-time.

Gareth Davies believes the Scarlets can continue the repair job on their URC season after their victory over Cardiff. The Wales scrum-half is likely to be a key figure again for his region when they host South African side, the Lions on Saturday.

Dwayne Peel insists there is no need to press the panic button as his Scarlets head into another testing United Rugby Championship assignment out in South Africa. Peel’s team conceded nine tries as they went down to a thumping 63-21 defeat at the hands of the Vodacom Bulls at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld last Sunday.

Dwayne Peel admitted the Scarlets got what they deserved from their United Rugby Championship opener in South Africa – precisely nothing. The Scarlets coach watched his team get trampled over by the Bulls as they lost 63-21 in South Africa to complete a conspicuous weekend whitewash of four defeats for the Welsh regions.

The United Rugby Championship (URC) returns this weekend with the four Welsh regions all looking to bed in new recruits and plenty of internal promotions. There will be some familiar faces, but plenty of unknowns, too. To help you on your way, here’s our guide to who’s who and where did what’shisname go?