This month sees the return of domestic rugby in Wales with the URC along with the new Super Rygbi Cymru league.

For the regions it marks the second season of budget cuts with wages reduced from £5.2 to £4.5 million.

Last season Ospreys surprised many by creeping into the top eight, becoming the first Welsh side in the play-offs since 2018.

While it may have been a surprise to outsiders, Ospreys always had the believe that they could reach their goal.

“Our goal was always the play-offs and knock-out stages in Europe,” says 2023-24 captain Justin Tipuric.

“To get back in the play-offs by the end, even though we left it a bit last minute was an achievement, however, we do feel we could have done a bit more against Gloucester in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup, we let ourselves down a bit on that day by not turning up.

“Last season I always felt we had a lot of experience and once you get to the knockout stages you want to push on.”

While Tipuric says his Ospreys side are yet to set out their aims for the upcoming season he feels his side must continue to push for the play-offs.

“We’ve made some really shrewd signings in the off-season, and they seem to have settled in really well,” says Tipuric.

“We build our foundations on our stats up front, there are some very good packs out there, we’ve just to go out an perform at our best.

“There are a few bits we’ve highlighted from last season which we want to work on, but I’m not going to give everything away just yet!”

Scarlets Looking to bounce back

Moving from Swansea to Llanelli and the Scarlets who endured a difficult season last year.

Last season they lost by 35 points or more on five occasions, however, they will have also been frustrated by a number of performances where they were in the game or ahead going into half time, before slipping behind in the second half.

“It was difficult last season,” says Scarlets back Ioan Nicholas.

“We were playing good rugby at times but it was 60% of the game and then for 20 minutes we’d switch off an that’s when we’d leak four tries.

“I don’t think it was a fitness issue. We’ve been working on our fitness of course in pre-season but as a team we were fit last season, I think it was the mindset is the big one to change.

“This year it’s about getting consistency in terms of good performances throughout the whole game.”

On a personal note, Nicholas enjoyed a successful campaign last season, winning Scarlets’ player of the season award in a season which saw the utility back find a home at fullback having played throughout the three-quarter line in the past.

“I feel like full back is my best position going forward,” says Nicholas.

“Due to injuries, I’ve played a lot of positions and I’m happy to help wherever on the field so long as I’m on the pitch but I’d like to think of myself as a 15.”

The season also saw Nicholas score his first try for the region in five years in the narrow home defeat to Sharks at the end of April.

“I think I’ve become more of an assist and playmaking 15 rather than a try-scoring one,” jokes Nicholas.

“Hopefully I can get a couple of tries this season rather than waiting another five years for the next one, by which time I’d be 31!”

Unlucky Losers

On to Cardiff and while Matt Sherratt’s side earnt a lot of plaudits for bringing through a number of youngsters last season it was also a frustrating one at times as they lost 11 games by seven points or less.

“As a team, we’ve highlighted some habitual things we need to do throughout the week in order to turn those losses into wins,” says Cardiff lock Teddy Williams.

“Things like discipline, contact area, training habits. There was lots of positivity around the region last year and we do the hard stuff well it’s about improving in those areas.

“I look back and there were some great experiences. Playing in front of a bumper crowd at Cardiff Arms Park, or against Toulouse away who are the benchmark of club rugby nowadays and the whole experience playing there in a rugby town with how much it means to them was great.

“The big ones for this season will be the Welsh derbies. Last year we beat Dragons twice but lost twice against both Scarlets and Ospreys and we want to turn that around this year.”

On a personal note, Williams had a season full of positives but also further frustrations after an injury on his Six Nations debut against Scotland meant he missed out on the remainder of the tournament and eventually the summer tour to Australia.

“It was my first season playing consistently last season and I believe I showed some good form around Christmas with the derbies and the games in Europe,” says Williams.

“I thought on a personal level I went well against Scotland but I picked up a shoulder injury which meant I lost the rest of the Six Nations.

“I tried coming back, but in the games I played for Cardiff after the tournament I was still nursing it. I was desperate to tour Australia but I couldn’t and we decided to have surgery on the shoulder.

“I’d love to be playing for Wales going forward, but I know how competitive it is and I need to focus on performing week-in-week-out for Cardiff first.

“I base my game around my work rate and involvements in the game along with being a lineout caller. Next season I’m hoping to get my hands on the ball a bit more and impact more games.”

All Change at Rodney Parade

Finally, but by no means least, Dragons have strengthened both in terms of playing and coaching staff ahead of the new season with the arrival of a defence coach in Filo Tiatia expected to make a significant impact.

Along with the Ospreys’ back row, they possess one of the most competitive areas in Welsh regional rugby with their centres where Aneurin Owen, Steff Hughes, Harri Ackerman, Joe Westwood and new signing Harry Wilson set to go head-to-head in Dragons’ midfield.

“Harry Wilson has come into play and he’s been class,” says Owen.

“The energy he brings, he’s really tall, great offload, step, good kicking game and a strong boy as well who can put a good hit in. Westwood and Ackerman have been class in the age grade are starting to step-up more.

“Steff as well has been a great leader for us. The way he’s driven the group has been great to work with so I think we have a good balance between everyone.

“I like to think I can play both 12 and 13. As a centre now you need to be able to do everything, pass, carry, you look at people like Jordie Barrett and Bundee Aki, big boys who can play. You need to have that multi-threat about you.”

All Important First Few Weeks

This season marks the first year where there won’t be a Welsh side in the European Champions Cup. That is despite Ospreys finishing in eighth place, due to Sharks winning the Challenge Cup.

Cardiff will once again kick off their URC campaign at home to an Italian side, with a Friday night kick off against Zebre as they look to exorcise the demons which saw them lose in the final minute of the first game of last season against Benetton.

Speaking of Benetton, they host Scarlets on the first Saturday of the season meanwhile there is an opening weekend derby as Dragons welcome Ospreys to Rodney Parade.

Historically, Ospreys have struggled at Rodney Parade, their loss there last season was their second in a row at a ground where even the ‘galactico’ era came unstuck.

However, Owen is by no means taking a win for granted.

“We went away to Ospreys end of the season and physically they were unbelievable,” says Owen.

“We saw they were end of last season, getting into the play-offs and doing okay in Europe, they’re a really good side with really good players.

“That first block of five games will be good for us if we can build some momentum and get some results. In my time at Dragons, I can think of countless times where we’ve been in tight games and it’s those key moments when it gets to 60, 70 minutes, how you turn those three-point games your way.

“Hopefully with the experience that’s come in and new coaches like Filo Tiatia as defence coach and Ryan Chambers as head of performance it can all come together. For me personally the ambition has to be play-offs and top eight, if we perform better physically and detail then we can challenge similarly to have Ospreys did last season.”

With all four regions ending their seasons in South Africa, the start of the season is going to be crucial. Which region comes out on top is anyone’s guess.

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