There are big decisions to be made in Welsh rugby right now – such as who does Warren Gatland pick in his squad next week and should the Wales coach be able to stick his nose into other people’s business. Gatland is due to name his group of players for the autumn internationals on Monday, as he attempts to turn the tide in matches against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Dwayne Peel is a man under pressure, but he has got used to that. The Scarlets coach takes his team to Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, still seeking a first win of the season after three rounds of the United Rugby Championship.

No player has started more Test matches for Wales over the past 12 months than Gareth Thomas. He may not have the public profile of some of his team-mates, but the Ospreys prop has established himself as a real mainstay of the national side. Thomas has worn the No 1 jersey for 11 of Wales’ 13 Tests going back to September of last year, taking in the World Cup, the Six Nations and the summer tour of Australia.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan insists there are still reasons to be cheerful – even though his team lost part three of their season-opening trilogy. The Sharks did to the Dragons what they had done to the Ospreys in the opening round of the BKT United Rugby Championship by striking in the final play to win a pulsating game 33-30 at the weekend.

Ospreys coach Toby Booth believes his team’s “never-say-die attitude” can help them build a firm foundation from which to rock Munster on Saturday night. Last week, the Ospreys came from 13-3 down to claim a 37-24 United Rugby Championship bonus point victory over the Stormers in Bridgend – a performance head coach Booth reckons can form the basis for what would be a shock away in Cork.

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan admitted his team were brought back down to earth after their last gasp home win over the Ospreys was followed by a heavy defeat to Leinster in Dublin. Flanagan watched his side go down to a 34-6 loss against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

For Rio Dyer, his moment of rugby renewal this summer came from watching a Frenchman connect with his nation. Dyer – who had an extremely busy 2023-24 season for Wales and his Dragons region – could have been forgiven for switching off completely from the sport after a 12-month stretch that went from last year’s World Cup build-up to this summer’s tour to Australia.

Tom Shanklin is backing the Scarlets to edge out Cardiff in Saturday’s big Welsh derby clash. Both teams made positive starts to the BKT URC season, with Cardiff recording a bonus point win over Zebre Parma and the Scarlets coming tantalisingly close to a landmark victory away to Benetton Rugby before ultimately drawing 20-20.

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan said he was “super proud” of the character his players showed to secure a final play 23-21 URC victory over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade. The game seemed done and dusted when the visitors led 21-13 three minutes from time with their opponents down to 14 men following a yellow card for hooker James Benjamin.

Toby Booth insists it will be business as usual for him as he embarks on his fifth and final season as head coach at the Ospreys on Saturday. The Englishman will be leaving at the end of the campaign with Mark Jones stepping up from defence coach, a role which will in turn be filled by club legend Justin Tipuric.

As Cardiff kick-off their new season on Friday night, head coach Matt Sherratt insists he will be calling the shots at the Arms Park – not Warren Gatland. With a host of youngsters having been fast-tracked into the Wales squad over the past 12 months, it might be tempting to believe Sherratt is under pressure to accommodate all requests.

The Welsh regions emerge, bleary-eyed, back into the autumn sunshine this weekend but it would be wrong to think they have been in hibernation. According to Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan, it was far more dramatic than that.