When two greats of the Welsh game like Shane Williams and Justin Tipuric describe a player as “superb” and “amazing”, that’s praise indeed. Those were their plaudits for the Ospreys No 8 Morgan Morris after he produced yet another Man of the Match performance in his team’s 26-13 victory over the Dragons in Swansea.

Dewi Lake is aiming to play his part in helping put some joy back into Welsh rugby. It’s been a difficult season for the game in Wales with the Test team suffering a Six Nations whitewash and three of the regions lying in the bottom four of the BKT URC table.

This time 20 years ago, the Scarlets were busy winning what was then the Celtic League and everything in their garden looked, well . . . scarlet. But 2024 appears very different to 2004 and the current side are reaching the end of their season 14th out of 16 teams in the United Rugby Championship.

It looked like a misprint. But it was true. Gloucester did indeed lose 90-0 away to Northampton. That’s 14 unanswered tries against a club with a proud reputation as representing one of the hotbed areas of English rugby, where regulars in The Shed are renowned for their noisy allegiance.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth has confirmed wing Alex Cuthbert is to leave the club at the end of the season. The departure of the Wales and Lions wing will bring an end to his three-year stay at the club, after joining from Exeter Chiefs in 2021. “This part of the season is always a tough time, especially when you have to say goodbye to players that have given a lot to the club over the years,” said Booth.

There was delight for Canton – Dai Manley’s Dervishes – who ended the season with silverware by defeating Dinas Powys 25-19 at Barry RFC to lift the Worthington’s Malcolm Thomas Cup. The East District showpiece was, like last year, set to be hosted at Glamorgan Wanderers.

Tom Shanklin has called on the Welsh Rugby Union to show some vision and offer some hope for the future after another bleak weekend for the game in Wales. All four Welsh teams lost in the United Rugby Championship over the weekend – the fifth time this season they have suffered a collective whitewash.

It has been 20 years since Newport last won what is now the Indigo Premiership title and Ty Morris’ men are 80 minutes away from bridging that gap when they head to Church Bank to face reigning champions Llandovery on their own patch. The ‘Class of 04’ won 27 and drew another of their 30 matches to finish 12 points clear of Neath in the table. Dan Griffiths scored 326 points during the season and Craig Richards scored 30 tries, while Llandovery finished one off the bottom.

Leinster Rugby v Ospreys, Saturday, 7.35pm. Ospreys coach Toby Booth is calling on his team to draw inspiration from Borussia Dortmund as they take on the Leinster “juggernaut” in Dublin.

A statue honouring Cardiff’s legendary ‘Rugby Codebreakers’ – has won the ‘Celebrating Black Sporting Heritage Award’ category at the Sporting Heritage Awards. Unveiled in Cardiff Bay in July last year, the statue of Billy Boston, Clive Sullivan and Gus Risman is the first in Wales ever to feature non-fictionalised, named black men.

Cardiff have certainly had their money’s worth out of Tinus De Beer since he arrived from South Africa last summer. The fly-half has started all 19 games for the Arms Park outfit in the BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup this season. Remarkably, he has been on the field for all but 82 minutes of the campaign.

Something is stirring in the Dragons’ lair. For too long, the wheezing also-rans among the four Welsh regions – and none have run particularly well in recent years – the Dragons have suddenly found their voice, if not yet, their fire.

Scarlets head coach Dwyane Peel has paid a fulsome tribute to Jonathan Davies, claiming the Wales centre became “the best No.13 in the world” during his time with the region. Davies, 36, has announced he will be leaving the Scarlets at the end of the season, bringing down the curtain on a 16-year involvement with his home region over two spells.

Cardiff have moved quickly to replace the departing Rhys Carre by signing two new looseheads for next season. Six-times capped Irish international Ed Byrne, a veteran of 10 seasons at Leinster, will be heading to the Arms Park this summer along with 25-year-old Exeter Chiefs prop Danny Southworth.

Filo Tiatia has been backed as the man to finally plug the leaky Dragons’ defence next season. The former Ospreys ‘Galactico’ is returning to Wales as the defence coach at Dragons RFC.

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan believes he has added another piece to the jigsaw of the region’s rebuild with the capture of Shane Lewis-Hughes from Cardiff. The former Wales back row forward will move to Rodney Parade ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Last weekend both Che Hope and Joe Westwood were playing against Connacht for the Dragons in the BKT United Rugby Championship, but this Saturday they will be taking on a different challenge. The two Wales U20 caps will be leading the charge for Newport as they attempt to reach the final of the Indigo Premiership when they host Ebbw Vale at Newport Stadium. To some it may appear to be a step down, but that’s not how either of them see it.

Llandovery are the best rugby team in Wales outside of the regional structure and they can prove that status once more this weekend. With none of the four regions in action – having long ago departed the scene of European competition – it gives a welcome opportunity in Wales to shine a light on what else is going on.

The Dragons have signed Australian centre Harry Wilson – the son of former Wallabies captain David Wilson – for next season. Just days after announcing the capture of Tongan back row Solomone Funaki, it’s another statement move by the region.

Llandovery skipper Jack Jones claims the Drovers have their sights firmly set on retaining their Indigo Premiership title as they head into Saturday’s play-off semi-final showdown against Cardiff at Church Bank (5.15pm kick off). Coach Euros Evans’ men made history by finishing top of the Premiership standings for the first time after running in nine tries to cruise to a 62-13 home win over Bridgend in their final regular league match.