Allen Clarke has been confirmed as the Ospreys’ new permanent head coach – a move first revealed by Dai Sport on April 6. Clarke has been rewarded for his impressive short spell as interim head coach by being handed a three-year contract at the Liberty Stadium. The Northern Irishman took over at the Swansea-based region in January after Steve Tandy was sacked in what most considered would be a temporary role, while other candidates were considered.

Danny Wilson has called on his Cardiff Blues to back up their European Champions Cup qualification by reaching the final of the Challenge Cup. The Blues head coach has achieved the first target of guiding the region back into Europe’s top tournament next season.

George North is heading back to Wales and will wear scarlet, black, blue, or black and red next season. No-one seems to know yet, least of all those marketing folk aiming to shift some extra replica jerseys this summer. Robin Davey says it’s time for George to put his finger on the map. The season has little more than a month to run, yet we still don’t know where star winger George North is heading on his return to Wales this summer. Even more to the point, does North himself know? It’s now five months since the Welsh Rugby Union announced that North would be coming back to Wales on a national dual contract after spending the last five years at Northampton.

The Ospreys are considering upgrading Allen Clarke and making him their permanent head coach. Northern Irishman Clarke has been in charge at the region as interim coach since the departure of Steve Tandy in January. It was believed that the former Ulster and Ireland U20 coach would relinquish the position at the end of the season and return to his previous role as forwards coach.

Justin Tipuric signed off for the Ospreys before heading Down Under to play for Wales Sevens at the Commonwealth Games with a performance that his interim head coach described as “world class”. The Wales and British & Irish Lions back row man was instrumental in the Ospreys beating Leinster for the first time since April, 2014, as he made one try, scored the bonus-point try and carried off the man of the match award in the 32-18 triumph. “I thought Justin was world class. You can see why the sevens have been after him because his touches on the ball, blind passes and energy around the field were simply world class,” said Ospreys interim head coach Allen Clarke.

Alun Wyn Jones has committed his future to the game in Wales after re-signing his National Dual Contract (NDC) to remain at his home Region, the Ospreys. The 32-year-old, capped 116 times by Wales (plus nine British & Irish Lions caps), is in his 13th season with the Ospreys – having come through the development pathway to become joint second in the all-time list of appearances on 223, 110 of them as captain. Jones, who toured with the British & Irish Lions for a third time last summer and led his country in the recent Under Armour Series, first signed an NDC in March 2015 and re-signed in January 2016.

Wales and Ospreys wing Eli Walker has retired from rugby at the age of 25 after failing to recover from a back injury. Walker burst on to the regional scene as a teenager as quickly established himself as one of the most exciting runners in the Welsh game. But he has spent the last year trying to return to fitness after surgery, but has opted to call it a day after taking the advice from medical specialists.

Ospreys centre Ben John will take a year off from the game to recover from a series of head injuries. The 26-year-old has suffered three incidents since the start of 2017, the latest of which came on Boxing Day when he sustained an injury following an aerial collision. He has not played since and after taking medical advice has opted to take a 12-month sabbatical, despite only being ruled out by doctors for the rest of the season.

Ospreys interim coach Allen Clarke had admitted he is realistic about the region’s chances of getting back into the European Champions Cup. The Southern Kings of South Africa visit the Liberty Stadium on Friday night with the Ospreys back in sixth place in Conference A of the Guinness Pro14, eight points behind the fourth-placed Cardiff Blues. Only the top three from each conference automatically qualify for the Champions Cup, but with the South African sides not involved in that process, it is the Blues the Ospreys are chasing.

Former Wales U20 captain Will Jones has signed his first professional contract with the Ospreys. The 19-year old openside – who has played 10 games for the region this season – has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign featuring in both the Guinness PRO14 and European Champions Cup. He is the second youngster to secure a professional deal in recent weeks, following on from scrum half, and fellow-Wales U20 representative, Reuben Morgan-Williams. Jones, who came through at Penclawdd RFC and Gowerton Comprehensive, said: “I’m very happy, obviously. I’ve been here since the U16s and this is the next step. I’m really proud to have been involved with the senior team this season but now I’ve got an opportunity to really establish myself with my home region.

Wales U20 have made seven changes to their starting line-up to face England at Kingston Park on Friday (19:45). Prop Rhys Carre, Man of the Match in the 36-3 win against Scotland last Friday, and Cardiff Blues hooker Iestyn Harris are this week joined by a new front row partner in Ospreys tighthead Rhys Henry.

Rhys Webb will watch Wales face Scotland from the sidelines after suffering a long term knee injury. After that, all is uncertain, says Peter Jackson who believes Webb is the victim of a battle the WRU had no choice but to fight. The lucky ones find a way of bowing out with a World Cup or a Grand Slam in their hands, the acclaim of a grateful country ringing in their ears. Few manage the hazardous task of leaving when they choose to before someone else opens the back door and shoves them through it. Rhys Webb had always looked good enough to leave on his own terms.