Project Shitstorm – obviously hatched in a secret war room in Edinburgh Castle – appears to have done its job. You can hardly see Saturday’s Six Nations fixture in front of you, for all the muck that has been thrown around in the past few days. But Robin Davey insists Wales can rise above the stink, keep their noses clean, and gain the whiff of a Grand Slam in the air by the time they return to Cardiff. Wales should have nothing to fear at Murrayfield this weekend – apart from the echoing bickering going on back at home. Certainly, when you look at this Scotland team and compare it to Warren Gatland’s side then the form, the experience, and the quality stacks up clearly in the visitors’ favour.

The Scarlets have finally agreed with the Ospreys. . . the merger is off. The two regions have now issued statements in the last 24 hours in complete accord that all merger discussions have been taken off the table and it’s as you were in Welsh rugby. Following the Ospreys’ statement yesterday accusing the Professional […]

First it was on, then it was off. Then it was just another back-of-the-fag-packet plan tossed into the bin after 15 months of waiting for Welsh rugby’s leaders to show the way ahead. The shambles of Project Reset is picked over by David Williams who just wants to flush the chain and run away. When is a merger not a merger? When it’s a takeover. That seems to be at the heart of the ‘on-off’ relationship between the Scarlets and Ospreys and their proposed gathering of the west Wales clans for the betterment of Welsh rugby. But who proposed such an unhappy and unlikely marriage in the first place? That seems to be the question exercising most people. Was it a WRU suggestion, or did it come from the supposedly cash-strapped Ospreys?

Welsh rugby’s merger bingo – that now pairs the Ospreys to combine with the Scarlets – will be discussed this evening by the four regions and the Welsh Rugby Union against a backdrop of outrage and suspicion. The proposal that was put to the staff of both west Wales regions on Monday has met with widespread derision, particularly on social media. Only vague plans have so far been given to those at the sharp end, but they are expected to include job losses, including some players.

Ospreys coach Allen Clarke has claimed the threats to the region’s survival is undermining his team. Clarke watched his side fall apart on Saturday – thrashed 46-5 at Connacht, the Irish province least renowned for dishing out any thrashings. It is one thing to leak six tries against Leinster or Munster, but quite another to do so against Connacht and Clarke believes leaked plans to kill off his region – plans that he himself made public a week before – are now taking their toll.

Ben Cambriani will make his Wales Sevens debut this weekend with coach Richie Pugh hopeful the Ospreys wing can land lucky red in Las Vegas. Cambriani – the son of former Wales rugby league star Adrian – is one of five changes for the tournament which acts as the North American leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series and sees Wales take on Australia in their first match this evening. A standout performer for Wales U18 last season, Cambriani is joined by Ethan Davies as the fly-half returns from injury. Davies was the second-top points scorer in the 2016/17 World Series.

Shaun Edwards insists Alun Wyn Jones is playing the best rugby of his career because he been used so little by the Ospreys this season. The Wales captain – who led his team to victory over England last weekend and in sight of another Grand Slam – has made just eight appearances for his region this season. The 33-year-old will be with Wales for the two matches left of this Six Nations campaign – meaning even if he plays the remaining four matches of the regular Guinness Pro12 programme he would only reach 12 for the season.

Project Reset has been. . err . . . re-set – at least until the start of the 2020-21 season. But the various ideas for the reform of the regional game in Wales have not been shelved, just shuffled along the desk a little. Robin Davey looks at the options and says money, as usual, will trump those quant little considerations like performance or fair play. Those people disturbed and confused by Brexit ought to turn for comparison to domestic rugby in Wales, where the future is at best uncertain and at worst a nightmare. Project Reset – which was supposed to be the new deal between the Welsh Rugby Union and the regions – has yet to be signed. The players are increasingly anxious about their future, contracts can’t be finalised, and nobody knows where they stand.

Allen Clarke has admitted the Ospreys are now relying on others to slip up in order to make the Guinness Pro 14 play-offs. Clarke saw his team lose 8-0 at home to Ulster in Bridgend on Friday night – a result that bunches the teams behind them with games in hand. The defeat has left the region still in third place in Conference A, but Connacht, Cardiff Blues and the Cheetahs are all within just two points, having played a game fewer.

Allen Clarke has admitted his Ospreys team were simply not up to the mark as realistic Welsh interest in the knockout stages of European rugby came to an end. The Ospreys head coach watched his side stumble to a 20-18 home defeat to a Worcester team that showed 13 changes to their regular Gallagher Premiership side. It means the region need a mathematical miracle to make the last eight of the European Challenge Cup, while the Dragons had long since ruled out that possibility.

The Ospreys have been warned to beware the England steamroller when they face Worcester today in their crunch European Challenge Cup clash at the Liberty Stadium. Ben Te’o came off the bench to help the Warriors finally bash down the Ospreys’ defence for a 27-21 victory in the home fixture and containing the Lions centre’s power is likely to be key factor if the region are to keep their knockout hopes alive. Te’o has not played for the Warriors since due to international commitments and being a handed a chance to refresh, so Warriors head coach Rory Duncan is expecting the New Zealand-born player to cause the Ospreys plenty of headaches.

Adam Beard has been given a tentative all-clear after the neck injury suffered by the Wales and Ospreys forward at the weekend. The region have confirmed Beard’s scans were clear after he suffered the problem on Saturday, but he will undergo further examinations. Beard was hurt in the first minute of his side’s Guinness Pro 14 clash against Cardiff Blues at the Liberty Stadium.