In his first column for Dai Sport former Wales and Lions captain Phil Bennett looks at the European action for the four Welsh regions at the weekend and says the Scarlets can cause a major surprise. Whisper it quietly, but Toulon are not the force of old and I’m backing the Scarlets to beat them on Saturday.

The Women’s Regional Championship will once again come down to a winner takes all shootout between West Wales rivals Ospreys and Scarlets thanks to the Scarlets securing a seven-try-to-one, 35-5 victory away to the Blues at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday. With both teams entering the encounter with vastly changed teams due to injury and unavailability, the game lacked the fluidity of previous matches in the championship, but this was more than made up for by the aggression and determination of both teams throughout.

James Hook has been signed to fill the gaps at the Ospreys and will be a busy man next season, according to coach Steve Tandy. The 31-year-old former Wales fly-half will return to his old region from Gloucester this summer, six years after he left the Liberty Stadium.

Keelan Giles is set to become Wales’ youngest player for six years with a debut this weekend. The 18-year-old Ospreys wing – who has turned heads with some memorable tries already this season – is in line to earn his first cap against Japan on Saturday.

The “electric” Keelan Giles could provide the power supply needed to top up Wales this autumn, according to Neil Jenkins. The uncapped 18-year-old has been called into the national squad after Hallam Amos was released following a shoulder injury that is likely to sideline him for around three months.

Wales flanker Justin Tipuric has committed his future to the Ospreys on a new contract until the summer of 2020. Tipuric had 18 months remaining on his deal and joins fellow international forward Dan Lydiate in signing a long-term National Dual Contract (NDC) with the region and the Welsh Rugby Union.

Keelan Giles is causing more fires of excitement that his Ospreys coach Steve Tandy is trying to dampen. Almost every time the 18-year-old scores at the moment he leaves smoking scorch marks on the field that Tandy attempts to hide.

Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, Hallam Amos and Samson Lee have given Welsh rugby a boost by recommitting their future to the game in Wales.

Keelan Giles should not be pushed too hard, too soon, his Ospreys coach Steve Tandy has warned. Giles, still only 18, has been called up to train with Wales this week after his hat-trick of tries for his region at the weekend in their 31-13 victory over Lyon in the European Challenge Cup.

Alun Wyn Jones has a mini-me who will could play alongside him for Wales this autumn. The junior model is Rory Thornton, the one of two young uncapped Ospreys named by Rob Howley this week for the four Tests in November.

Sam Davies should not be kept waiting for his chance to become Wales’ next No.10, according to Phil Bennett. Ospreys fly-half Davies is set to be named in coach Rob Howley’s squad for the November Tests, due to be announced on Tuesday lunchtime.

The Ospreys hammered the Cardiff Blues 46-24 in the first of the Guinness Pro12 Welsh derby matches. But it is not only on the pitch where there is a marked difference between the two regions, argues Geraint Powell. The Pro12 derby match between the Ospreys and the Blues is so much more than a rugby match, not merely a clash of East v West but, a clash between entirely opposing regional rugby cultures and philosophies. The neutrals mostly drawn towards Ospreylia.