Ospreys coach Toby Booth believes Wales prop Tomas Francis can be the rock on which they rebuild their reputation. The region have confirmed the signing of Francis from Exeter Chiefs for next season after Francis opted to leave the European champions in order to continue his Wales career. After twice managing to persuade Welsh Rugby Union officials that extensions to his contract in England kept him within the 60-cap rule, Francis had his third attempt rejected.

Scarlets coach Glenn Delaney has backed plans for the creation of a British, Irish and Italian A league competition. It is understood that talks are at an advanced stage for such a tournament to be played next season during the international window. From next season onwards, the revamped Guinness PRO16 will have fewer fixtures played during the international period in a bid to enhance the quality of the league, making room for a developmental competition to be played during the Test window.

Former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett has urged the WRU hierarchy to learn from their Celtic cousins by appointing a new head man who will invest more resources into the professional game. Former finance director Steve Phillips currently holds the position of interim CEO of the WRU after Martin Phillips’ departure from the role. But Moffett, who was WRU CEO between 2002-2005, believes they should cast the net wide when it comes to appointing someone on a permanent basis.

The Ospreys are set to sign Wales under 20s captain Jac Morgan from the Scarlets. Morgan, 20, is out of contract at the end of this season, and the Ospreys have succeeded in luring him away from their bitter rivals.  The openside flanker is seen as one of the best prospects in the European game and has been identified by the Welsh management as a potential option for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. 

Scarlets coach Glenn Delaney has defended Liam Williams after his sending off against the Cardiff Blues which could cost Williams his Wales place at the start of the Six Nations. The Wales full back was sent off in the 37th minute to ruin Scarlets’ chances of a hat-trick of Welsh derby wins, as the Blues ran out victors, 29-20 at Cardiff City Stadium. Williams rushed headlong into a ruck and clashed heads with prone Blues flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes and, after TMO replays, the wing was ordered off.

There will some familiar faces in the Scarlets line-up when they travel to Cardiff Blues on Saturday night as Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny return. But there will also be one player making his first start. South African prop Pieter Scholtz has had to show patience, but plenty of resilience, too, as he told Graham Thomas. Given the year Pieter Scholtz has come through, scrummaging against Cardiff Blues should feel like a pushover for the Scarlets prop on Saturday night. The 20-stones South African is set to make his first start for the region after two cameo replacement appearances so far in the Welsh derbies – against the Ospreys and the Dragons.

Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney insists his team are primed to cope with a Cardiff Blues upswing following the departure of John Mulvihill and the appointment of Dai Young. Delaney – whose team travel to the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday evening for the Guinness Pro 14 derby – believes the Blues will respond positively after a week which has seen Mulvihill leave the top job in his third season. “Everyone will expect a response and knowing those lads down there, they’ll give it,” said Delaney.

Dai Young insists it is the right time for him to step back into rugby after his return to Cardiff Blues was confirmed following the departure of John Mulvihill. Young has not coached for almost a year after he left Wasps in February of last year, but says he was attracted by a return to the Arms Park where he will take charge on an interim basis, initially, to the end of this season. The Blues – who have confirmed Mulvihill has gone after two days of silence – say they are “excited” about Young’s return.

They may not have been playing any competitive rugby at Cardiff Met this season, but there has still been plenty of success for rugby director Danny Milton to enjoy. Watching alumni Alex Dombrant and Luke Northmore starring for Harlequins in the English Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup has helped him to point out to his freshers where they might end up. Then came the moment in the last round of European matches when Evan Lloyd came on to make his senior debut for the Dragons in Bordeaux. Not a bad statement of intent from the 20-year-old outside half.

By David Williams A return for Dai Young or an immediate promotion for Dwayne Peel are two of the options being considered by Cardiff Blues following the departure of John Mulvihill. Former Wales scrum-half Peel had already agreed to move from Ulster – where he is assistant coach – to the Arms Park this summer […]

Gerwyn Price is to receive another sporting prize he can sit beside his PDC World Darts Championship trophy – a cap from Neath RFC. The former hooker with the Welsh All Blacks played over 100 games for the Welsh Premiership club, but has never been given his club cap to mark the centenary. That, however, looks about to change after Price became the first Welshman to win darts’ richest prize by banking £500,000 on Sunday evening with a 7-3 victory over Gary Anderson at Alexandra Palace.

Morgan Jones is ready to step into Jake Ball’s large boots at the Scarlets – and has even been tipped to fill those of mighty Alun Wyn Jones for Wales. Jones is literally growing into the second row position at the Scarlets and feels big enough these days to shoulder any expectations of him The gangly second row on whom the region took a punt three years ago is blossoming into one of the best young locks in the professional game.

Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney has labelled Sione Kalamafoni as the region’s “galvaniser” after his try helped them beat the Dragons, 20-3, on New Year’s Day. Second-half tries from the forceful No.8 and replacement outside-half Sam Costelow were enough to get Delaney’s side over the line in a match that will mostly be recalled for the worrying arm injury suffered by Dragons forward Taine Basham. The Wales hopeful is to undergo X-rays on a suspected broken arm and likely lengthy spell out, with the painful injury forcing him off the field after 24 minutes.

Ospreys captain Justin Tipuric has revealed his pride in his team for their “dominant” display in comfortably beating rivals Cardiff Blues. Tipuric’s side won 17-3 at the Cardiff City Stadium on New Year’s Day, while the Scarlets were also clear winners – 20-3 – at home to the Dragons in their derby – results which suggest the old familiar order is now being restored in Welsh regional rugby, with the Scarlets and Ospreys leading and the Blues and Dragons trailing behind. The Ospreys lay third in Conference A of the Guinness Pro 14, with the Dragons fourth. In Conference B, the Scarlets are second with the Blues back in 4th.

Keiran Williams used to be flattered to be called ‘Gibbsy’ by his team mates. These days, though, he is just plain ‘Keith’. The former Wales U20 centre earned the exalted status of being called his first nickname because he was likened in size and stature to the great Wales and British & Irish Lions ace Scott Gibbs. His pocket-rocket style mirrored that introduced by the explosive Gibbs into the midfield at Swansea, Wales, St Helens, Wales rugby league, the Ospreys and the Lions.

The Scarlets will begin 2021 where they started 2020 – as the Welsh region the others are chasing. It’s a status their famous son Phil Bennett believes they can maintain this year and he told Graham Thomas he expects early notice to be served on New Year’s Day at home to the Dragons. Phil Bennett […]

The comeback date for Gareth Anscombe will depend as much on his mind as his body, according to his Ospreys coach Toby Booth. Anscombe has not played rugby for 16 months after suffering a serious knee injury in a World Cup warm-up against England at Twickenham. Since then, it’s been a long road back for the Wales outside-half who has undergone two operations and setbacks to his timetable along the way.

Jamie Roberts has warned his Dragons side and the rest of the Guinness PRO14 they must be ready for a significant step up in quality when the division officially expands further into South Africa. This season – which has been hit hard by Covid-19 – has taken place without the presence of the Cheetahs and Southern Kings who were the first southern hemisphere sides to play in the competition. The current campaign will be wrapped up by March allowing South Africa’s four best teams – Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions – to join a 16-team “Rainbow Cup” beginning in April.

Jake Ball’s decision to put family ahead of Welsh rugby has been backed by his coaches at the Scarlets and with Wales. The 29-year-old second row will leave Welsh rugby at the end of the season to live with his wife and four children in Australia, a decision that has been reluctantly approved by his regional boss Glenn Delaney as well as Wales coach Wayne Pivac. Dai Sport revealed in November that Ball had not seen his wife and three kids for the three months prior to the autumn Tests as his wife, Christie, was expecting their fourth child and the Wales players were expected to live in a Codiv-19-secure bubble.

The Ospreys are keen on beefing up their pack by adding some South African muscle to their back row. The Cheetahs may have ended their involvement with the Guinness Pro 14, but the Ospreys see recruitment potential in three of their forwards – Oupa Mohoje, Sintu Manjezi, and Junior Pokomela. Head coah Toby Booth wants to strengthen his squad for next season and has identified the back row as an area in need of improving.