Alun Lawrence is proof that a lot can happen in 12 months in the life of a professional rugby player. When he helped Cardiff Rugby secure a BKT United Rugby Championship victory over the Scarlets a fortnight ago, it coincided with a telling anniversary.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt admitted his team had been on a rollercoaster ride that eventually ended with them thrown off the track by Glasgow. The Arms Park club had their moments, but were often a defensive shambles as they were eventually hammered 52-26 in front of their own fans.

How best to utilise the undoubted talents of Mason Grady is one of the big debates in Welsh rugby. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 9lbs, with bags of pace and power, the 22-year-old Cardiff star has all the raw ingredients.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt insists he won’t be getting carried away by his team having opened their United Rugby Championship campaign with back-to-back bonus point victories. They followed up the round one maximum against Zebre by coming from behind to claim another as they won 24-15 away to the Scarlets in Saturday’s Welsh derby. It has put them level on 10 points with Leinster at the top of the table and set them up nicely for Friday’s big Arms Park clash with champions Glasgow.

Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies will be aiming to celebrate a major career landmark in winning style when the Scarlets host Cardiff in the first Welsh derby of the season on Saturday. Davies will become just the third player – after front row duo Ken Owens and Phil John – to make 250 appearances for the Scarlets since the start of the regional era.

For Rio Dyer, his moment of rugby renewal this summer came from watching a Frenchman connect with his nation. Dyer – who had an extremely busy 2023-24 season for Wales and his Dragons region – could have been forgiven for switching off completely from the sport after a 12-month stretch that went from last year’s World Cup build-up to this summer’s tour to Australia.

Tom Shanklin is backing the Scarlets to edge out Cardiff in Saturday’s big Welsh derby clash. Both teams made positive starts to the BKT URC season, with Cardiff recording a bonus point win over Zebre Parma and the Scarlets coming tantalisingly close to a landmark victory away to Benetton Rugby before ultimately drawing 20-20.

After some 12 years as a professional rugby player, Dan Thomas is finally about to experience his first Welsh regional derby. It will be all the more special for the new Cardiff flanker as it will take him down west towards his family roots and back to the club where it all began for him.

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan said he was “super proud” of the character his players showed to secure a final play 23-21 URC victory over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade. The game seemed done and dusted when the visitors led 21-13 three minutes from time with their opponents down to 14 men following a yellow card for hooker James Benjamin.

Toby Booth insists it will be business as usual for him as he embarks on his fifth and final season as head coach at the Ospreys on Saturday. The Englishman will be leaving at the end of the campaign with Mark Jones stepping up from defence coach, a role which will in turn be filled by club legend Justin Tipuric.

As Cardiff kick-off their new season on Friday night, head coach Matt Sherratt insists he will be calling the shots at the Arms Park – not Warren Gatland. With a host of youngsters having been fast-tracked into the Wales squad over the past 12 months, it might be tempting to believe Sherratt is under pressure to accommodate all requests.

The Welsh regions emerge, bleary-eyed, back into the autumn sunshine this weekend but it would be wrong to think they have been in hibernation. According to Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan, it was far more dramatic than that.