The Scarlets had victory snatched away for them at the death as they fell to a 17-16 defeat in the first round of the EPCR Challenge Cup in Bayonne. It looked as though the visitors could be heading home with a win under their belts when Ioan Lloyd struck a long-range penalty to edge his side ahead 16-14 with six minutes left to play.

This time last year Steff Emanuel was playing for Millfield School against Sedbergh in the Daily Mail Trophy. Twelve months on and he will become the youngster Cardiff Rugby regional player to make his debut in European competition.

European rugby used to arrive with a fanfare that sounded like the brass band section which once accompanied Shenkin the regimental goat on Wales’ international days. A bit old-fashioned, maybe, but you knew it was going to be worth hanging around to watch the action.

Taine Basham is all set to join the Dragons centurion club when his side hosts Montpellier in Round 1 of the EPCR Challenge Cup at Rodney Parade. The Welsh international back row man made his debut six years ago when he faced the Scarlets against Scarlets in January 2018.

A new training facility has been hailed as a “game changer” by the Welsh grass roots rugby club which has benefited from the project. Kenfig Hill RFC, in the Ospreys region, was selected from more than 30 entries as winners of the BKT Power Zone competition.

Joey Williams had a sleepless night after leading Coleg Y Cymoedd to an amazing 49-46 semi-final win over Ysgol Glantaf to reach Thursday evening’s WSC U18 Rugby final against reigning champions Llandovery College at the Principality Stadium. Now, the scrum-half is hoping to have a peaceful night on the eve of the big day out in the Welsh capital without the nerves getting the better of his slumber.

Ollie Griffiths has revealed his gratitude for the perspective given to him by the health issues which have forced him to retire from rugby. The Dragons and Wales back row man has spoken of his new attitude to his life on and off the field after hanging up his boots at the age of 29 due to illness.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt has given his backing to Cameron Winnett after his axing by Wales coach Warren Gatland. Sherratt paid a glowing tribute to Winnett following the full-back’s player of the match performance in the 31-23 victory over the Dragons at the Arms Park.

Former scrum-half Callum Pritchard is set to make it a dozen winners this season as a jockey – and underline why he was right to switch sports from rugby to horse racing. The 23-year-old from Porth used to wear the No.9 jersey for Wattstown and came through the same Rhondda schools system as Wales internationals Kieron Assiratti and Cameron Winnett.

Dragons interim coach Filo Tiatia remains optimistic of his team’s prospects, despite suffering another difficult defeat at the hands of rivals, Cardiff. The Dragons added a 19th successive loss against Cardiff to their decade-long streak, after a gruelling 31-23 defeat at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday night. Despite playing their first match under new head coach Tiatia, the Dragons failed to alter the course of their losing pattern this season.

At a time when Welsh rugby could do with white knights who can ride to the rescue, it’s good to see the return of Josh Adams, even if it’s in blue. Adams will make his first appearance for six months when his club, Cardiff, host the Dragons on Saturday in a URC Welsh derby at the Arms Park that must attempt to lift some of the fog of gloom that hangs over Welsh rugby.

Few overseas players have made a bigger impact in Welsh rugby over the past couple of decades than Filo Tiatia. Now, the Ospreys legend is looking to make his presence felt once again – in his new role as Dragons interim head coach.

If you printed out all the reviews currently taking place in Welsh rugby, then you could probably use them as compacted blocks of snow to build a new igloo, inside which WRU officials could shelter themselves from reality. The roof of the current one seems to have finally fallen in on those running the game, with national teams of both genders and all age groups hardly able to win a game.

The United Rugby Championship is back this weekend and for the Welsh regions it means a chance to move the gaze away from Wales’ woes. Not that the foursome have all been awesome themselves, but at least they are gaining the occasional win here and there, unlike the national team.

Liam Williams has joined Saracens for a second time, the London club have confirmed – meaning the Wales full-back should be free to return to the national squad for the Six Nations. Williams, 33, has agreed terms until the end of this season, returning to English domestic rugby following a stint with Japanese club Kubota Spears.

Swansea’s St Helen’s is a stadium filled to its vast capacity with the ghosts of sporting occasions past. Wales playing their first ever home international rugby union match way back in 1882.

While the Welsh Rugby Union consider whether to stick with their two highest paid rugby staff – head coach Warren Gatland and director of rugby Nigel Walker – England fans have been left choking over their breakkfasts over the news that RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney is to be paid £1.1m for the last financial year. That comes despite the governing body reporting record losses and making 42 staff redundant.

Warren Gatland has overseen a “disappointing” year according to the Welsh Rugby Union officials who will now decide whether the Wales coach remains in place. The Union is now set to undertake a comprehensive review of Gatland’s position – and that of the national team set-up more broadly – after an unprecedented period of poor results.

Warren Gatland is facing the sack as Wales coach – unless he can convince his former star player Jamie Roberts he should be allowed to continue. Gatland lost for the 12th time in a row on Sunday and the 45-12 defeat to South Africa means he is the first Wales coach for 87 years to go through an entire calendar year without winning. The buffeted Welsh Rugby Union will start their review process of the Autumn Series next week, with Roberts set to be a key figure.

Will Rowlands accepts that Wales find themselves in “a brutal situation” as they prepare to face South Africa following 11 successive Test defeats and raging speculation about their head coach’s future. Wales and Warren Gatland are behind the eight-ball ahead of an Autumn Nations Series finale that has landslide defeat written all over it.