Thomas leads battle of Wales number 10 rivals - Hook

Warren Gatland’s hunt for a first prime fly-half took him from Gloucester to Llanelli and past Bridgend and he must person been pleased pinch what he saw.

Remarkably 4 of nan six candidates for Wales' number 10 garment were successful action astatine Parc y Scarlets.

Callum Sheedy offered a calm guiding manus arsenic Cardiff came from down to hit Scarlets pinch 4 tries, including 1 scored and different created by Ben Thomas.

The Cardiff brace sewage nan amended of Ioan Lloyd, though he still impressed astatine full-back, and Sam Costelow, who created a effort but missed 2 straightforward penalties to time off Scarlets empty-handed.

Former Wales fly-half James Hook said: "Tactically Sheedy was excellent, Lloyd went good but those 2 missed penalties by Costelow really took nan upwind retired of nan Scarlets’ sails.

“Ben Thomas went really good astatine 12, successful what immoderate group would reason is his champion position.

"He created nan past effort pinch existent heads-up rugby. I was impressed pinch his kicking but besides defensively, he was excellent.

"Tactically it’s a large point to play fly-half but nan Welsh guidance want a 10 who is defensively strong.

"Ben punches supra his weight and moreover though he had Johnny Williams and [second row] Alex Craig coming down his channel, he dealt pinch them really well."

It was a bully play for Welsh outside-halves arsenic Dan Edwards completed a 'full house' - try, conversion, punishment and driblet extremity - successful a 20-point haul against Stormers, while fit-again Gareth Anscombe was a try-scorer for Gloucester.

"Dan Edwards is really maturing and starting to put immoderate performances together for Ospreys," Hook added.

"He's only going to get amended and I'm judge that will put him successful nan mind of nan Welsh coaches."

Macs Page scored nan quickest United Rugby Championship (URC) effort successful 4 years erstwhile he raced complete pinch conscionable 14 seconds connected nan Parc y Scarlets clock.

Cardiff tried to drawback Scarlets disconnected defender pinch a move astatine kick-off but Tom Rogers was alert to group nan centre up to people for nan 2nd crippled successful a row.

The Wales Under-20s centre is already looking a imaginable this play pinch his Scott Gibbs-type qualities of a debased centre of gravity, allied pinch velocity and strength, but will person learned plentifulness defensively aft being fixed nan run-around by Cardiff's seasoned Ray Lee-Lo.

Another young subordinate learning from nan 37-year-old Samoan astatine Cardiff is Mason Grady, but not for nan reasons group whitethorn people assume.

Lee-Lo's handling skills person made him a champion astatine Cardiff for almost a decade but it his protect activity that is proving invaluable for nan Wales wing.

"He's a fable and I couldn't inquire for anyone amended to mentor me," said 22-year-old Grady.

"Defence is 1 of my biggest work-ons this play and he's 1 of nan champion protect 13s around.

"It's astir staying calm, making sounds and spotting cues astatine really guidance play."

He added: "Every twelvemonth is apparently Ray's last, but I deliberation he'll beryllium going longer than me!"

Ospreys whitethorn person opted to move to St Helen's successful Swansea adjacent play but Bridgend is proving to beryllium a happy hunting crushed aft 3 wins successful 3 games.

Last play saw a New Year's Day triumph successful nan mud complete Cardiff earlier Challenge Cup occurrence against Sale Sharks.

Toby Booth's broadside added Stormers to nan database of sides they person flooded successful Bridgend pinch a 37-24 victory.

The crippled mightiness person been played successful beforehand of less than 4,000 fans, but nan ambiance astatine nan aged style crushed hit nan much luxurious but soulless Swansea.com Stadium nonetheless.

Booth believes nan unsmooth and fresh Dunraven Brewery Field embodies his team.

"This is simply a really awesome crushed for a subordinate and coach to beryllium around," he said.

"It benignant of represents us, pinch our sleeves rolled up and prepared to do it tough.

"We mightiness not beryllium aesthetically pleasing astatine times but we get nan occupation done. If we tin get bonus-point wins on nan way, each good and good."

Ospreys will return to Bridgend connected 26 October to big Edinburgh.

Reuben Morgan-Williams celebrated his 100th quality for Ospreys by scoring a effort and creating 2 much successful a man-of-the-match show successful beforehand of Wales coach and erstwhile scrum-half Rob Howley.

Ospreys person much knowledgeable Test half-backs waiting to return from wounded successful Owen Williams and Kieran Hardy, but Morgan-Williams and Edwards thrived.

"It was a very mature capacity from nan brace of them and that bodes good for america for nan future," said Booth.

"Often erstwhile you observe a milestone, it doesn't spell your way. To spot Reuben present a capacity for illustration that, successful a very large crippled successful beforehand of his family, I'm delighted for him."

At nan different extremity of nan scale, Aled Davies' kicking show for Cardiff whitethorn person piqued Gatland's interest, moreover if nan erstwhile Saracens subordinate is now 32.

A six-day turnaround earlier facing Leinster astatine nan Aviva Stadium was ever apt to beryllium a agelong for Dragons and truthful it proved.

Dogged Dragons were conscionable 10-6 down astatine nan break, but Leinster stretched clear successful nan 2nd half, albeit aided by officiating decisions, to win 34-6 successful Dublin.

“We sewage disconnected to a bully commencement but nan six-day turnaround was tough," said skipper Ben Carter.

“Physically we matched what we needed to but past a mates of their tries really damaged our momentum.

"The target now is to play games astatine that level for nan afloat 80 minutes and being smarter discipline-wise."

Leinster are without a trophy since 2021 but pinch Springbok RG Snyman and All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett joining soon, their rivals person a conflict to conclusion this star-studded squad, who apical nan URC connected points-difference complete Cardiff.

Gareth Anscombe was not nan only Wales world to thrive successful nan Guinness Premiership complete nan weekend.

Half-back partner Tomos Williams and helping Max Llewellyn besides shone brightly for Gloucester against Bristol arsenic good arsenic Welsh-qualified fastener Freddie Thomas.

Leigh Halfpenny besides rolled backmost nan clock, pinch nan seasoned full-back among nan effort scorers for Harlequins.

It's been a agelong hold for Josh Macleod to get backmost playing aft suffering a superior knee wounded astatine Clermont-Auvergne backmost successful January.

During nan flanker's return against Cardiff connected Saturday, referee Christopher Allison asked if he had cramp.

"Yeah, for 9 months!" came nan reply.