The Christmas period has been an eventful two weeks in the Pro12 and it has been particularly busy in Wales.
Festive derbies have filled rugby fans ‘quiet week’ between Christmas and New Year’s Day. What have the east and west derbies told us about the regions and where does each team stand as we head into the business end of the season.
In the east the Dragons took a well earned win at Cardiff Arms Park on Boxing Day, the Blues gained an away victory at Rodney Parade a week later.
Neither games were full of flair and exciting rugby, they were tense affairs in which both sides were aiming to avoid defeat rather than looking for the win.
There were however, a few flash points, the Dragons backs were impressive in patches and Gareth Anscombe looks a real star in the making.
The Welsh qualified Kiwi, 23, showed his pace and control from outside half and put in a man of the match performance in the return fixture.
Anscombe’s pace allows him to exploit even the smallest of gaps. The utility back is constantly looking for mismatches ahead of him and exploiting them. As Anscombe breaks the line it opens up space in the outside channels as defenders are sucked in. With wingers of Lucas Amorosino and Alex Cuthbert’s calibre in the ranks then tries will come at this rate.
A key lesson that we have learnt is that the Blues back line is beginning to function under Mark Hammett’s new regime. New signings Amorosino and Joaquin Tuculet have added a spark to their attack.
Tuculet in particular, with his confident running from full back has encouraged the Blues to play a more open, ball in hand style of play. The plan is far from complete but Hammett’s Blues are beginning to look more like Hammett’s swashbuckling Hurricanes.
Despite the flash points of positive attacking play, both games were spoiled by endless scrums which were a mess and an apparent penalty free for all.
With front rows and fans baffled, the scrums were reset time and time again, before penalties were awarded. Amidst the constant infringements nobody was sin-binned, meaning the infringements simply continued and the Eastern derbies never really got going.
In the west the Scarlets and Ospreys played out a tense affair in the first game as the Ospreys held on to win 17-15 at the Liberty Stadium.
With little between the teams a few players stood out. Samson Lee was once again fantastic and the Scarlets took dominance at the scrum at the Liberty.
Two other players stood out but for the wrong reasons. Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb have been brilliant this season but it was noticeable that they were poor behind a failing scrum last week.
Biggar later issued an apology to fans for the poor performance, despite claiming the victory, a sign of just how dominant the Ospreys have become this season.
The last of the festive derbies was the rematch between the West-Walians on the 3rd of December at Parc Y Scarlets.
The men in red had clearly taken offence to the Ospreys apology a week earlier and at home their big players all performed.
Liam Williams, Scott Williams and Rhys Priestland had outstanding games as the Ospreys floundered and fell to a 22-10 defeat.
Rhys Priestland’s contract has been a source of several rumours lately but after his man of the match performance, he told the press that his future has been decided and an announcement will be made this week.
Once again the Scarlets pack dominated and it gave their backs good front foot ball, from which they should have finished off more opportunities.
A good win for the Scarlets puts them back in the mix for the top six and European qualification.
However, they have sustained injuries with Kirby Myhill and Rhodri Jones sustaining long term injuries, leaving the Scarlets with front row problems as they head into the new season.
It has been a successful period for Welsh rugby with more than 56,000 fans out in force to see some quality rugby.
Ospreys remain at the top of the table, the Dragons and Blues remain tenth and ninth respectively but there are a lot of positives from each of them.
Off the pitch, five players have signed dual contracts; Dan Lydiate, Jake Ball, Tyler Morgan, Rhodri Jones and Hallam Amos.
And here has been precious little talk of off-field politics, it certainly has been a Merry Christmas.
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