Dan Lydiate and Hallam Amos have handed Wales head coach Warren Gatland a few injury headaches ahead of the NatWest Six Nations campaign next month. Both were victims of the full-blooded Welsh regional derbies over the Christmas period. The 23-year-old Amos injured his ankle in the Dragons’ Boxing Day loss to Cardiff Blues, while the 30-year-old Lydiate picked up a bicep problem in the Ospreys’ New Years Day triumph at Rodney Parade. “We’re just waiting to see if we can rehab the injury or decided if Hallam will need an operation. We’re just liaising with the Wales medics to see what’s the best course of treatment – five or six weeks is the pessimistic outlook,” said Dragons coach Bernard Jackman.

Steff Evans has been banned for four weeks after being sent off in the Scarlets’ 12-9 Guinness Pro 14 victory over the Ospreys on Boxing Day. The Wales wing was shown a red card in the first-half of their derby following an aerial challenge on the Ospreys’ Ben John. Evans was deemed to have tackled John in the air, contravening Law 10. 4(i) of the World Rugby regulations, and will miss four matches, including the region’s final two Champions Cup group games.

Wayne Pivac admitted Steff Evans deserved to be sent off but still believed his Scarlets team earned their Boxing Day victory over the Ospreys. An 82nd-minute try by Josh Macleod saw 14-man Scarlets edge the result 12-9 in a dramatic Guinness Pro14 derby at a rain-drenched Parc y Scarlets. The victory – secured despite the first-half dismissal of Wales wing Evans following a dangerous challenge on opposite winger Ben John – took the hosts back to the top of Conference B.

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac has showered the Ospreys with praise before he hopes to ruin their festivities with a Boxing Day victory in Llanelli. The Scarlets have won their last 15 matches at Parc y Scarlets in the Guinness PRO14 and are looking to consolidate their position at the top of Conference B. The home side welcome back Hadleigh Parkes, Aaron Shingler and John Barclay. The Ospreys’ ambitions over the festive period are to use their back-to-back European Rugby Champions Cup victories over Northampton Saints to boost their domestic form.

By Robin Davey Never let it be said, but all is not lost in Welsh regional rugby as we reach the halfway point of the season.

Look away now if you don’t want to know how awful Welsh teams have been in the tournaments meant to develop elite players for the future. Rob Cole asks, if the regions themselves don’t care then why should their fans? What should we make of the fact that when you look at the Anglo-Welsh and British & Irish Cup league tables, Welsh regions prop up the majority of the pools? Only the Ospreys, with an away win over the Blues, and the Dragons, with a home win over the Scarlets, have managed a win in two rounds of the Anglo-Welsh Cup, while the Dragons, Blues and Ospreys are all awaiting their first wins in the B&I Cup.

Wales flanker Aaron Shingler has agreed a new contract to stay with the Scarlets. The deal, of unspecified length, comes after Shingler has re-established himself as an international, having played in three of the four autumn Tests. The 30-year-old has been with the region for a decade and played 170 matches, in which he has scored 19 tries.

The Scarlets Premiership Select side will get their third round British & Irish Cup tie against top of the table Cornish Pirates at Aberavon’s Talbot Athletic Ground on Monday night (11 December, kick-off 7.15pm). The game had to be postponed at the weekend because of the adverse weather conditions and it wasn’t the only game to fall foul of the snowy conditions. The Ospreys’ game against Nottingham was also postponed and is due to be re-arranged.

RGC 1404 half-backs Jacob Botica and Alex Schwarz will team-up in the Scarlets Premiership Select XV for the British & Irish Cup clash with top-of-the-table Cornish Pirates at Carmarthen Park on Sunday, 10 December (kick-off 2.30pm). Former Wales Under 20 Grand Slam skipper Tom Phillips will lead the side into the third round. The Scarlets currently sit in the second position in their pool after securing a victory over Hartpury and suffering a narrow defeat to Ulster A in the opening two rounds. Hard running RGC centre Tom Hughes also gets a first start in the game as he and his Gog team mates return to the ground where they suffered a loss against Carmarthen Quins in the top of the table West Division clash in the Principality Premiership.

The Dragons have confirmed the signing of former Wales U20 and Scarlets full-back Jordan Williams for next season. Wales flanker Ollie Griffiths has also committed his future to the region. Williams joins from English Championship side Bristol for the start of the 2018-19 campaign and will offer head coach Bernard Jackman versatility at either full-back, wing or fly-half.

dai-sport journalist Terry Phillips attended the Wales Sport Awards evening at Celtic Manor. He looks at award winners. Wales and Scarlets rugby union player Jonathan Davies is BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2017. Davies was unable to attend the event because of a serious foot injury, but said during a video interview: “I’m […]

George North is returning to Wales and all four regions are keen to sign him up. But with Wales the priority, Peter Jackson wonders what value they will get from a player who has so often been kept on the sidelines through injury. George North arrived at Franklin’s Gardens from West Wales one year after Chris Ashton left for North London. The Welsh colossus reported for duty in the summer of 2013 fresh from some famous deeds for the Lions in Australia and eager to help Northampton continue to lord it over the rest as newly-crowned champions of England. They had won the title, what’s more, at the expense of the opponent they love to beat more than any other, Saracens – and Ashton to boot.