The Challenge Cup has provided plenty of twists and turns this season for Welsh sides. The third round of group games proved no exception for Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons. While Scarlets and under-fire head coach Dwayne Peel are struggling in Europe's top-tier Champions Cup, both Ospreys and Cardiff have booked their place in the knockout stages of the second-tier tournament.
The Challenge Cup has provided plenty of twists and turns this season for Welsh sides.
The third round of group games proved no exception for Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons.
While Scarlets and under-fire head coach Dwayne Peel are struggling in Europe's top-tier Champions Cup, both Ospreys and Cardiff have booked their place in the knockout stages of the second-tier tournament.
Dragons, somehow, are still in Challenge Cup contention, despite the humiliation of shipping a record 74 points away at Benetton.
That was one of two defeats in Italy this weekend for Welsh sides with Ospreys edged out 23-19 by Zebre. In contrast, Cardiff shone with a fine bonus-point win at home to Racing 92.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy will have been an interested observer with only one more weekend of action before he names his Six Nations squad.
While there is the usual off-the-field chaos with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) facing an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) and a vote of no confidence in chair Richard Collier-Keywood, BBC Sport Wales looks at this weekend's action on the pitch.
- Scarlets still in the chase for European knockouts
- WRU brands calls for EGM an 'irresponsible nuclear option'
Cardiff weigh up European selection gamble at Exeter
It is proving a waiting game for Cardiff on and off the field this month.
They are still hoping for a resolution over new owners as the WRU prepare to sell to new investors.
And, having delivered a commanding 32-13 victory against French visitors Racing 92 on Saturday, they had to wait a further 24 hours before their progression to the Challenge Cup knockout rounds was confirmed when Ulster were awarded victory in their cancelled game against Cheetahs.
The Arms Park outfit travel to face Exeter next Sunday knowing an away win could set up a home tie in the last 16.
However, they also have to consider their United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off hopes when they face Benetton the following weekend.
"Exeter will be a challenge because we know how good they've been this season," said coach Corniel van Zyl.
"We'll have to get the selection right to make sure we keep the boys fresh then with Benetton, which will be a short turnaround of six days."
On captain Liam Belcher's 100th appearance - and in front of more than 8,000 fans to demonstrating what Saturday afternoon rugby can provide - van Zyl was happy to return to winning ways after festive derby defeats by Ospreys and Scarlets.
"After the derbies it just felt like we were a little bit cramped in with a little bit of pressure, whereas against Racing it just felt like the boys went out to play and enjoyed it," he added.
"We focused on the stuff that made us play well at the beginning of the season and freshened it up."
Ospreys lose but still clinch Challenge Cup place
Ospreys became the first Welsh side to officially qualify for the Challenge Cup knockout stages despite a narrow defeat in Parma.
A losing bonus-point was all Ospreys needed to book their last-16 spot and while they managed this, head coach Mark Jones was frustrated with the defeat.
"We created a lot of the issues in the first half and put ourselves on the back foot, allowing Zebre to grow in confidence," Jones said.
"We did well at half-time to action some of the problems we had and started to attack in the way we could get some benefit.
"We could have won and probably should of. Unfortunately we were too loose and let Zebre off from those pressure moments too often."
Ospreys have a top-of-the-table clash against familiar foes Montpellier in Bridgend next Saturday night in the final group game of pool one.
The French side have maximum points so far with Ospreys four points behind them and Jones' side know victory could still give them a chance of topping the group.
Dismal Dragons aim for Newcastle redemption
Dragons' win against Connacht on 20 December was one of their finest of recent times, but Saturday's 74-21 defeat by Benetton was at the other end of the spectrum.
It ranks as their third heaviest loss behind a 64-3 defeat at Munster in 2022 and 69-14 loss at Sharks in 2023.
The 74 points they shipped in Italy on Saturday is the most Dragons have conceded since the organisation's inception in 2003.
Benetton comprehensively won the battle of the gain line, offloaded at will and made a remarkable 28 clean breaks past a defence that made just 71% of their tackles.
Yet Dragons can still progress to the knockout stages and, if they do, it will be a trip to one of the three pool winners, so potentially Ospreys.
To do that they need to beat Newcastle on Friday, 16 January (20:00 GMT) when Filo Tiatia will bring back a raft of influential figures.
The six-day turnaround played a part in the decision to make eight personnel changes against Benetton and two positional switches to the XV that beat Scarlets 28-5 on 1 January.
Back-row forwards Aaron Wainwright and Harri Keddie were not risked because of niggles, while full-back Angus O'Brien, centre Fine Inisi, scrum-half Che Hope and lock Ben Carter were given a breather.
Centre Aneurin Owen and tight-head prop Robert Hunt – two key players who have had a huge workload this season – came off the bench at Stadio Monigo.
With plenty of seniors on the injured list, the changes laid bare Dragons' lack of depth and gave credence to those who argue there are players on the books of all four regions who should not be professionals.
The wisdom of Tiatia's selection hinges on producing the goods against Newcastle.
If his side win a fourth home game on the spin, something they have not done since under Dean Ryan in 2019-20, then the hammering in Italy might be less painful.
A quirk of the tournament is that a win at Rodney Parade could even earn a return to Stadio Monigo for a last-16 tie, when there would be no holding players back.
Thomas takes centre stage
This was the penultimate weekend for Wales hopefuls to impress Tandy before he names his Six Nations squad and Ospreys number eight Morgan Morse will have done his hopes no harm this weekend.
While Tandy will be running the rule over new hopefuls, he will also be interested in players returning to form, with Cardiff centre Ben Thomas excelling in the past few games.
Thomas, 27, produced a classy attacking performance in the 33-22 defeat by Ospreys on New Year's Day and was named player-of the-match against Racing 92 after crossing for his side's bonus-point try.
Thomas started at inside centre in Wales' record defeat against Argentina and last-gasp victory over Japan, but was replaced with Joe Hawkins for the final two heavy losses handed out by New Zealand and South Africa.
"Ben had a bit of bump in the road with Wales in the autumn series, so I'm so chuffed for him that he has bounced back," said van Zyl.
"He's a quality player and shown it in the last few games."
With Max Llewellyn - who started the first three autumn games at outside centre - injured for at least the first half of the Six Nations, what Tandy decides to do with the problematic centre combination will be one of the intriguing selections.
Category: General Sports
