Toby Booth believes the victory his Ospreys team earned on South African soil this weekend will earn them what they have craved this season – their opponents’ respect. For the Swansea region, the big goal has been to improve their reputation and regard and they will certainly have done just that with their stunning 27-21 bonus point victory over the DHL Stormers in Cape Town. It goes down as one of the finest results in the Welsh region’s 20-year history, given the Stormers have been BKT URC finalists for the past two years and considering how hard they are to beat in their own back yard.

The player Cardiff Rugby coach Matt Sherratt described as a Rolls Royce will go through the gears for the first time in six months on Friday night. Taulupe Faletau – who broke his arm playing for Wales at the World Cup – will make his comeback in the capital city region’s United Rugby Championship match against Ulster in Belfast.

Welsh regions hoping to assemble squads to become competitive with the best in the United Rugby Championship have been given a sobering reminder of the size of that task after Leinster announced the capture of All Blacks star, Jordie Barrett.

Mark Jones admitted the Ospreys undermined their own cause as they crashed out of the European Challenge Cup after giving up too many penalties to Gloucester. The region’s defence coach praised his team’s commitment during their 23-12 quarter-final defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Toby Booth insists the Ospreys are determined to stay on a roll by beating Gloucester to make the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup. Head coach Booth will send his men over the border for an Anglo-Welsh raid, armed with the confidence gained from their 23-15 victory over Sale at Bridgend’s Brewery Field. At a time when there are no other discernible success stories in top level Welsh rugby, the Ospreys are once again the standard-bearer.

Toby Booth believes he can sharpen the Ospreys’ cutting edge next season with the help of new signing Phil Cokanasiga. The younger brother of England wing Joe Cokanasiga, 22-year-old Phil is leaving Leicester Tigers to move to the Swansea region.

They say age is just a number and former Wales prop Craig Mitchell continues to prove it is no obstacle to giving something back to his local club. Having helped Tonna win the WRU National Shield title at Principality Stadium in 2022, and the Division 5 West Central title last year, the 38-year-old is chasing a league and cup double this time, starting with the Division 4 Cup against Newport Saracens in the latest round of #RTP24 finals at Principality Stadium on Saturday, 6 April

The Ospreys were the big movers in the URC over the weekend, leaping up from 11th to seventh with a 36-21 bonus point victory over the Lions in Swansea. It puts them firmly back in the play-off mix and they also have a EPCR Challenge Cup last 16 tie at home to Sale to look forward to next weekend. As head coach Toby Booth points out, they are exceeding expectations.

Ospreys v Emirates Lions, Saturday, 3.05pm. Welsh rugby stalwart Sam Parry is aiming to celebrate a major landmark in his career with a crucial bounce back victory for the Ospreys.

Dwayne Peel has challenged his Scarlets team to end the season with a flourish after their first United Rugby Championship win for over three months. There was a mixture of relief and delight for Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel following a last-gasp 16-13 victory over Benetton Rugby. Peel said: “I am pleased for the boys because they have been on the wrong end of those losses and they put a lot of hard work in. It was big for us to get that win at the end.

Gareth Anscombe has been labelled as “one of the best fly-halves in the northern hemisphere” after his move to Gloucester for next season was confirmed by the English club. Anscombe, 32, is understood to have signed a two-year deal and will link up with the Kingsholm club this summer.

Sam Underhill is savouring his England revival having feared his international career might already be over. The former Ospreys star is poised to win his 34th cap in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland at Twickenham after returning to favour under Steve Borthwick – a comeback he views as a personal triumph.