Warren Gatland has stood firm on his critique of Welsh regional rugby – but insisted he has no issue with the coaches. The Wales coach has attempted to steer a fine line between repeating his call for changes, whilst at the same time trying to stay onside with those on the sharp receiving end of huge cuts in finances.

So, is Welsh regional rugby a sinking ship or still afloat despite all the storms that have been raging against it? Warren Gatland claimed the holes had not been plugged, but Ospreys coach Toby Booth reckons there’s no need to abandon the vessel just yet.

Toby Booth believes the Ospreys can do what no Welsh region has done for six years – make the United Rugby Championship play-offs. Booth’s young team are currently on target to achieve that goal of a top-eight finish.

Rob Howley admits Wales must make life awkward for Ireland this weekend, otherwise the Six Nations favourites will find their groove and run riot. The Wales assistant coach believes unless his team ruffle Irish feathers from the opening whistle then any prospect of a shock away victory in Dublin is remote.

We are now midway through the BKT URC campaign, with all 16 teams having played the first nine of their 18 regular season matches. So as the league returns this weekend with Round 10, how have the Welsh sides fared so far?

Keelan Giles has been backed to deliver more match-winning moments for the Ospreys after the wing was one of three players to sign a new deal to remain at the region. Giles, Max Nagy and Tom Botha have all agreed new contracts that will keep them at the Ospreys after this season.

Warren Gatland is the pack whisperer who can turn raw rookies into war-hungry warriors, according to the Wales prop who has seen it done before. Ospreys front rower Gareth Thomas has had the soft words of Gatland to ease him into the transition to Test rugby since the New Zealander returned to Wales 16 months ago.

Wales believe George North is progressing well from a shoulder injury picked up in Ospreys win over the Lions in Johannesburg in the EPCR Challenge Cup last weekend. Skills coach Neil Jenkins is confident the 118-times capped centre will be available for selection for next week’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Scotland at Principality Stadium.

Harri Ackerman has been named captain of Wales U20s for their Six Nations campaign by head coach Richard Whiffin. Dragons centre Ackerman will lead a 37-man squad as clubmate and flanker Ryan Woodman has been ruled out with a broken thumb.

An injury to George North – and therefore a big scare for Wales – was the price paid by Toby Booth’s Ospreys after they won for the first time on South African soil against one of the ‘big four’ provinces. The Swansea region bagged a home game in the Round of 16 in the EPCR Challenge Cup with a stunning 38-28 win over the Lions in Johannesburg.

Warren Gatland will receive reports on his long list of injured players on Monday before he finalises selection decisions for the Wales Six Nations squad. The head coach is due to announce his group for the tournament on Tuesday lunchtime, but has a raft of players he would like to pick currently unfit.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth praised his players for wising up and winning a place in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup. Full-back Iestyn Hopkins’ two tries helped the Ospreys to a 25-3 win over Perpignan to book a place in the knockout stages of the tournament.