If you’re a glass half-full kind of person, then the weekend was a pretty good one for Welsh rugby teams competing in the opening round of European competition.

Two decent victories – for the Ospreys and the Dragons – were contrasted by heavy defeats for both Cardiff and the Scarlets in France.

Not a bad start, given all the background turmoil in the game.

Context, though, needs to be applied. The main tournament – the European Champions Cup – saw Cardiff thrashed 52-7 out in Toulouse, their heaviest defeat in 17 years of European action.

The other three teams were competing in the European Challenge Cup, where some clubs tend to field weakened teams.

For instance, French club Oyannax sent a virtual second team to Newport to face the Dragons, although that should not detract from an impressive performance for Dai Flanagan’s men.

You can only beat what is put in front of you, as the old saying goes. The Dragons certainly did that with three late tries giving them a bonus point 24-7 win.

Flanagan said: “It’s a great start. You can’t underestimate five points in Europe but also a second win in a row at Rodney Parade.

“We were full of errors but we stuck at it and stuck together. The first half was positive, we defended well and our discipline was good.

“We banged on the door for 76 minutes and didn’t get much reward but we kept going and eventually got those three tries at the end.”

Dewi Lake scored a record equaling four tries in a European match for the Ospreys as he guided his side to a bonus-point 43-34 win in Pool 2 of the Challenge Cup.

The Wales hooker converted three driving line-outs and also drove over for another from close range as home forwards just managed to outgun the superb Benetton threequarters.

Lake joined former Ireland and British & Irish Lions wing Tommy Bowe in scoring four tries in a game in European competition.

“First game in Europe, first win, bonus point, we couldn’t ask for more. It was a tough game and for large parts it was us score, kick off, they’d score, kick off, and we’d score,” said Lake.

“We worked through the week in terms of getting mauls going and things like that. I’m just lucky that I get to be the one on the end of it.”

It was a much tougher day at the office for both Cardiff and the Scarlets.

With a young side – through choice as much as necessity – Cardiff were not expected to threaten the mighty Toulouse and that’s how it proved.

There were, though, some straws to grasp for head coach Matt Sherratt, who admitted: “We rested a few people and took a few off with one eye on the home games and Christmas derbies coming up because we have to be smart with how many minutes they all play given the size of the squad.

“For a lot of our young boys, that will be an experience that will accelerate their development as long as they sit down and learn from it.

“It’s not just about experiencing it but also reflecting on what you can do better and what the best in the world did.”

The Scarlets also lost out in France to Castres, although not as heavily – going down 34-16 in their Challenge Cup tie.

It was five tries to one but fly-half Ioan Lloyd scored all of the Scarlets’ 16-points, including a second-half try, while there were impressive displays from young back-rowers Ben Williams and Teddy Leatherbarrow.