George North will conduct “interviews” with all four of the Welsh regions before deciding which one to play for next season. The Wales wing – currently out of action with a knee injury – is to leave Northampton at the end of this campaign and return to Wales on a dual contract. But whilst 60 per cent of his salary will be paid for by the Welsh Rugby Union, the contributor of the remaining 40 per cent has yet to be determined with the Scarlets, the Ospreys, the Cardiff Blues and the Dragons all keen to add North to their squad.

Ross Moriarty’s move to the Dragons from Gloucester has been confirmed by the Welsh region. The Wales back row forward has signed a two-year deal to start next season that will enable him to continue his international career. The switch is not on a national dual contract, meaning the Dragons will be funding Moriarty’s wages in total – although they are now wholly owned by the governing body.

Mike Phillips has admitted his comeback was not the gentle evening stroll he had anticipated – but that did not prevent him rolling back the years to help the Scarlets to victory in South Africa. The region showed they are made of champion stuff as they withstood a major storm in Port Elizabeth to leave the Southern Kings still seeking their first win since joining the Guinness PRO14. Minus 15 internationals, and forced to press gang Phillips out of retirement to make his first appearance for the club in 12 years, they twice came from behind to run out 34-30 victors’ to remain seven points clear of Leinster and Ulster at the top of Conference B table.

George North will leave Northampton at the end of this season and return to Wales on a national dual contract, with the Dragons believing they can tempt him to Rodney Parade. The Lions wing, who has won 69 Wales caps and scored 30 tries, has agreed a deal from next term, the Welsh Rugby Union have announced. North has been one of the biggest names in the European game over recent years and his tally of caps means he could have chosen to stay in English rugby, or moved to France, and still have been eligible for Wales selection as he is comfortably above the new 60-cap threshold.

The Scarlets have signed Australian lock Steve Cummins from Super Rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels. The 25-year-old former Australia Under 20s forward is set to link up with the region at the end of November and will be seen as a replacement for Tadhg Beirne, who is returning to Ireland at the end of the season to join Munster. Cummins made 15 appearances for the Rebels in 2017 and was contracted through to next year but the Rebels have granted an early release.

The Scarlets are all set to ramp-up their interest in securing the signing of Wales back row man Ross Moriarty after the news that John Barclay is heading to Edinburgh next season. The Scottish skipper is reported to have penned a three-year deal with the Scottish capital club, bringing an end to a hugely successful five year stint in West Wales. But last season’s Guinness PRO12 champions are confident of putting together their “strongest squad for years” in a bid to achieve more silverware and regularly reach the last eight of the Champions Cup.

Jake Ball has insisted there is little between Wales and Australia, despite Saturday’s 13th successive defeat. The Wales second row believes the gap between the teams can be attributed to errors as Wales attempt to settle into a more expansive playing style. Wales were ultimately undone by three first-half tries and poor defensive strategies, yet the second period proved in contrast as they outscored the Wallabies and a grandstand finish beckoned until visiting full-back Kurtley Beale claimed a contentious breakaway try.

Scarlets flanker John Barclay has blown a huge hole in rugby’s concussion testing system by revealing he could have played when he knew he still had symptoms. The Scotland captain has given a detailed account of how he passed all the medical tests following a concussion injury, but judged he was still not fit. Barclay – who will make his full comeback when he skippers the Scots against Samoa at Murrayfield this weekend – was knocked unconscious playing for his region against Edinburgh on September 23.

Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies is grappling with reform of the game and has already declared an intention to slim down a bloated system. But Geraint Powell argues it’s how the various parts of that system fit together that really counts. Last month, I looked at the question of Welsh Rugby Union governance modernisation (http://www.dai-sport.com/welsh-rugby-reform-needs-unity-not-war-money-men-blazers/), particularly the need to build aligned devolved/decentralised regional board structures to help underpin the WRU board and to replace the outdated and non-aligned WRU districts system. This will facilitate the member clubs electing a slimmed down strategic main WRU board based on director skill-sets in business as well as rugby. 

Wales centres Hadleigh Parkes and Scott Williams have been released from national duty to line up for the Scarlets against Benetton in Llanelli on Friday night. The Wales pair are joined by Scotland captain John Barclay who will make his first appearance since September 23rd due to a concussion. Wayne Pivac has made eight changes to the side that beat Cardiff Blues 30-17 last weekend.

Last weekend’s Welsh derbies in the Guinness Pro14 attracted attendances that could best be described as modest. Geraint Powell traces the decline in crowds and says the problems are deep-rooted. The issue of crowds at the regions – or, rather, the consistent lack thereof – has returned towards the top of the domestic rugby agenda. Even before the “Welsh derby” matches, Brendan Gallagher of The Rugby Paper, and a 1980s veteran of the Western Mail Championship/Whitbread Merit Table circuit from his time with the South Wales Echo, had tweeted about how big rugby spectator bases had been “brazenly abandoned” and “never returned” in South Wales.

Scarlets flanker John Barclay has been identified by Scotland as the man to lead them into the 2019 World Cup. The back row forward has missed the last month of the season for his region due to concussion, but is expected to return for the autumn internationals. Barclay suffered two years in the international wilderness after moving to Wales from Glasgow four years ago, but has captained his country in their last six Tests after taking over from Greig Laidlaw when the scrum-half suffered injury.