Former Wales prop Craig Mitchell has resurfaced at Gallagher Premiership club Newcastle Falcons. The tight-head spent last season at Yorkshire Carnegie in the English Championship after spells at both the Dragons and the Cardiff Blues which appeared to suggest his career was in decline.But Mitchell has impressed the Falcons playing for their reserve side in recent weeks and director of rugby Dean Richards has opted to hand the 32-year-old a three-month deal.

Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies has been accused of “dirty play” by former Ireland international Luke Fitzgerald for allegedly aiming a knee at Leinster’s James Lowe. The incident occured in the first-half of the Scarlets’ thrilling 23-21 victory at home to the Guinness Pro 14 champions on Saturday. New Zealander Lowe scored just before half-time, but as he slid in at the corner he was challenged by a sliding Davies as the players collided.

Ospreys head coach Allen Clarke hasn’t ruled out recruiting another outside-half to help plug the gap left by Luke Price’s broken leg that will keep him out until the New Year. Having caused considerable furore by giving the 22-year-old former Wales Under 20 player first shot at filling Dan Biggar’s No. 10 jersey ahead of the more experienced and established Sam Davies, Clarke now risks alienating one of the region’s home grown assets with talk of looking for emergency cover. Davies came off the bench to help steer the Ospreys to an opening 17-13 win over Edinburgh at the Liberty Stadium and will presumably start in this weekend’s home clash with the Cheetahs.

After six years spent going backwards, the Ospreys need a lift and George North could be just the man to provide it. Graham Thomas looks at the player and his new region as both seek a fresh start by winding back the clock. If one man’s personal circumstance could signify the wider challenge for the Ospreys this season, then it would be George North. Like the region itself, their new marquee signing has had a scratchy couple of years, judged by the standards of previous glories. Both player and team are seeking some kind of redemption.

George North and his fellow Ospreys new boys have been told to hit the ground running when the new Guinness Pro14 season starts. The demand has been made by head coach Allen Clarke – preparing for his first full season in charge by attempting to blend a new-look team quickly into the groove. North will make his Ospreys debut against English champions Saracens in London on Thursday.

Having recently looked at the Principality Premiership, Geraint Powell turns his attention to the survivors of the great 2003 Welsh rugby shake-up, the regions. These like to consider themselves as independent business operations. How’s trade? “Project Reset”. Two words that send a shudder down the spines of those who want to forever remain with the non-aligned April 2003 fudge without the requisite never ending evolution/modernisation. This is compounded by ill-advised fixed term “cliff edge” agreements between the WRU and the regions, an excuse to stand still for periods of five to six years.

The Scarlets will begin their Heineken Champions Cup campaign against last year’s beaten finalists Racing 92 at Parc y Scarlets. Wayne Pivac has one last opportunity to add European silverware to the Guinness PRO12 title he won in 2017 before he takes over as Wales head coach after the World Cup. Their Pool 4 campaign begins on Saturday 13 October before a six day turnaround to face two-time champions Leicester Tigers.

Ospreys coach Allen Clarke has revealed it was Alun Wyn Jones’ own call to stand down as the region’s captain. Justin Tipuric will skipper the team this season after Wales lock Jones opted to give up the armband he has carried for eight years since taking over from Ryan Jones. Jones – who will concentrate his leadership duties on captaining Wales into a World Cup season – has held the post since August 2010, making a record 115 appearances as captain, more than double the number of any other Ospreys captain.

Gethin Jenkins will dip his toe into the coaching pool next month when the Ospreys face the Scarlets in the Celtic Cup – the new shadow tournament for the Guinness Pro 14 designed primarily for under 23 players. The Cardiff Blues prop – Wales’ most capped player – will be the defence coach for the Blues’ youngsters. It’s a first venture into coaching for the Lions forward, who will be 38 in November, but still remains committed to at least one more season as a Blues player.

The Dragons’ bid to share Sean Edwards with the Ospreys this season has collapsed due to a lack of cash. The Wales defence coach – who is leaving to take over at Wigan after next year’s World Cup – has confirmed he will be working with the Swansea region on a consultancy basis. Back in May, Wales coach Warren Gatland announced that Edwards would be working with both regions on a part-time basis, following a brief spell with the Cardiff Blues last season.

Former England international Tom May has been announced as the new backs coach at London Welsh. May, who finished his playing career with the Old Deer Park outfit in 2016, returns to the club following the departure of director of rugby Sonny Parker earlier this summer.

The Guinness Pro14 fixtures are out and with an August start date Robin Davey is already considering how the first weekend might shape up for the four regions after a long, hot summer. It’s been a blisteringly hot summer and the nation’s top rugby players have needed hosing down as they step up training for the new season which actually starts this month. The pre-season friendlies are about to get under way and pretty soon the heat will be turned on the regions and their leading players in what is the last season before the World Cup.