Ken Owens believes it will be trial by television when the Scarlets go to the Liberty Stadium for the second of the Welsh festive derbies on Saturday. The trial in this sense is one for Warren Gatland’s national selection with the Scarlets hooker suggesting Wales places could be won and lost depending on performances between the old rivals. Owens’ side may have won their last 10 derbies, including their last visit to the Ospreys, but this game has a far more open feel to it than in recent years. And given the announcement earlier in the week that Stephen Jones will be joining Wayne Pivac in the new Welsh coaching team next year, it will have an extra edge.

IT’S derby time when grounds will be packed over the holiday period and the battle for who’s best, east or west, will resume. Largely because of the Dragons’ ineffectiveness – to put it politely – the west has generally proved to be best which would delight the late, lamented Ray Gravell.

The hottest ticket in town will soon be Wales v England in the Six Nations. But what about the regions? How warm are those seats? Not heated by enough bums on them, according to Peter Jackson of The Rugby Paper, who has compared the numbers watching Wales’ favourite rugby team with those who supply all their players. A startling fact can be unearthed from the mound of attendance figures at the Millennium Stadium last month – that more than 36,000 fans support Wales at the expense of their regional teams.

Welsh interest in the Heineken Champions Cup – in terms of the knockout stages, at least – is already over. It contrasts sharply with the success of Wales in the autumn, so as we head towards the Six Nations, Geraint Powell tries to unravel the contradiction. It is always difficult to dispassionately analyse a Welsh autumn internationals campaign in the immediate aftermath, for the mood in Welsh rugby nowadays only ever veers wildly between “world beaters” or “the end of the world is nigh”. The story of the Warren Gatland era has been of disappointment in the November friendlies, relative to the Welsh performances in the tournament rugby of the Six Nations and the World Cup.

Wales prop Nicky Smith may struggle to be fit in time for the Six Nations after suffering an ankle injury playing for the Ospreys. The loose-head prop – who has become his country’s first choice in recent months – was forced off during his region’s 51-20 European Challenge Cup victory over Stade Francais at the Liberty Stadium. Ospreys coach Allen Clarke admitted the injury appears a serious one and suggested the 24-yar-old will struggle to make a quick comeback.

It’s crunch time in Europe, so Robin Davey looks at the big questions. Do the Scarlets have a backstop position against Ulster even though Leigh Halfpenny is injured? Can the Cardiff Blues avoid a very hard border crossing when they go to Saracens? And what was the advice from the WRU given to the Dragons before they published their teamsheet? Europe is back on the rugby agenda and though it’s only the second block of the pool stages at least one Welsh region is in danger of crashing out without a deal. Last minute soundings are being taken with some final persuading to be done as the Scarlets count down to the crucial Champions Cup vote tonight.

Alun Wyn Jones will pass another milestone on Friday night with a salute from one of those he has overtaken on the way. The Wales captain will play his 233rd match for the region when they host Zebre at the Liberty Stadium – more than any other player in their 15-year history. Andrew Millward, the Ospreys’ managing director, is one of those who have been long passed on the road by the second row who will edge past Paul James’ mark of 232.

The Guinness Pro 14 returns this weekend, with the Ospreys facing a tough trip away to champions Leinster on Friday night. If you’re an Ospreys fan – or even if not – here’s your chance to get on board with the region by winning some fantastic Ospreys gear, courtesy of Canterbury, official supplier to the Ospreys.

While Wales take on Australia this weekend, the four Welsh regions take a breather for the next three weeks until the Guinness Pro 14 resumes. Geraint Powell takes the temperature of the four of them and says all need to warm up quickly when the action resumes. The first block of the Welsh regional rugby season is over. The first eight rounds of the Guinness Pro14 and two rounds in Europe have been completed and the best Welsh rugby players are now in Test camp with Warren Gatland.

The Ospreys have turned to teenager Harri Morgan and hope he will be inspired before his home town crowd when they host Connacht at Bridgend on Friday night. It will be the 18-year-old’s first full game after he made debut off the bench in the defeat to Worcester Warriors last week. That was in the European Challenge Cup, so the Connacht clash will also be a Guinness Pro 14 first appearance for Morgan at the Brewery Field, when he began his career with the Ravens.

Scott Williams is close to a comeback from the hamstring injury that put him out of the Wales squad for the autumn Tests. But in the meantime the Ospreys centre is busying himself with his other sporting love – rallying, as owner of the Scott Williams Motorsport fleet. Williams has not played since early September when he limped off during his region’s victory over the Cheetahs.

Scott Williams gave his stunning new Escort Mk2 its competition debut on the Fairfield Merlin Stages Rally today, finishing the event in a flying 16th place overall – out of 70 starters. The immaculate car is the latest addition to the Scott Williams Motorsport fleet, with the west Wales team showcasing its great engineering talents by building it in one week! The Osprey’s centre, who is recovering from a torn hamstring, is a very accomplished rally driver and was inch perfect around the Welsh Motorsports Centre at Pembrey, putting on a spectacular display in the powerful red left-hand drive machine.