Welsh professional rugby can still currently hold two derbies on the same day, with Friday’s celebrations between Cardiff and Ospreys.
Sport takes center stage on Boxing Day with two tight United Rugby Championship (URC) matches taking center stage, while uncertainty surrounds the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) plans to reduce the professional men’s team from four to a forgettable three for 80 minutes.
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Cardiff City narrowly defeated the Dragons 22-19 at the Arms Park and won a penalty in the 87th minute, giving the visitors their first victory since 2015.
Scalai’s latest resurgence ended in painful fashion as the Ospreys won 26-19, with the home side scoring on the stroke of half-time to claim the consolation bonus.
BBC Sport Wales looks at five talking points ahead of URC’s eighth round Wales derby.
Recovered Cardiff duo give Wales boost
Mason Grady last played for Wales in the opening Test of the 2024 autumn season [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Despite being without winger Mason Grady and evergreen star Taulupe Faletau for much of the game, Cardiff City produced a strong performance in their first stop of the season.
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Grady suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason and returned in late November, while Faletto missed the start of the season and then injured his knee minutes into his second appearance.
The pair were impressive against the Dragons, who were named the match’s official man of the match after spending a number of powerful moments on the left flank.
“It’s nice to see him (Grady) go full speed and beat defenders,” coach Cornel Van Zyl said.
Diminutive Cardiff winger Tom Bowen has been hugely influential in URC’s first block, but Josh Adams and Grady have been given the wide recognition of late.
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Former Cardiff Dragons scrum-half Richie Rees said on Scrum V: “They were very influential and made a big carry against the opposite number which led to a gain.”
“It’s his (Grady’s) physicality and distance off the dribble. He’s got people on their backs and has been really impressive the last few weeks, and it’s just about keeping him healthy.”
Faletau is probably the greatest player in Dragons history but now plays in Cardiff and his influence lasted for an hour until he was replaced by Alun Lawrence, who has been in fine form this season and tops the URC charts for dribbling and tackles.
Their opponent was Test regular Aaron Wainwright, who had both clear contributions and some unusual errors, including a costly tearing ball from close range.
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The Wales management team are in the middle of the derby season and hope Grady and Faletto can return to the squad ahead of the Six Nations.
Defense
Owen Watkin suffers serious knee injury playing for Wales in France 2025 Six Nations opener [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said the extra-point victory over Scaly, who moved up four places from 16th to 12th, was based on tenacious defence.
“I’m happy for the kids,” Jones said. “We didn’t play our best, especially with the ball. But without the ball, that was probably our best defensive performance.
“You go back to Tipp (defensive coach Justin Tiplick) and your defense represents the core of the team and the commitment of the team and the coach. You can see the kids doing a great job there.
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“There’s a lot of care for each other. We know we can play better and we’re going to play better.
“But the most important thing (against the Scarlets) is showing who we are as characters.
“The Ospreys culture has been emphasized throughout the team. These boys are special and it is an absolute privilege to be a part of their careers and to coach them.”
Wales wing Harri Deaves was deservedly man of the match, but the Ospreys benefited from the return of international center Owen Watkin, who expertly organized the visitors’ defence.
“Irving has been out for a long time and I have a lot of confidence in him,” Jones said.
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“I had no hesitation in putting him out this week.
“You could see his value to the team, his defensive performance in the 13 channel was unbelievable.
“Irving is ahead of the curve in terms of his intentions. That’s very impressive considering he’s been out for almost a year.”
Che gives the Dragons real hope
Che Hope scored try doubles in 2025-26 URC games against Connacht and Cardiff [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Dragons half-back Che Hope scored twice on his first start of the season against Connacht and repeated the feat in Cardiff to earn the number nine jersey.
Hope was outstanding in the support line, scoring, being lively and lively on the pitch, especially giving the experienced Aled Davies some words towards the end of the first half.
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The 22-year-old from Hollybush has long been considered a player to watch thanks to his performances at Newport, which he helped lift the Super Rigby Cymru Championship in 2024-25.
He makes his Dragons debut in November 2022 and appears to have moved ahead of good friend Morgan Lloyd, who impressed at Arms Park last season and has emerged as the main rival for the experienced Rhodri Williams.
“He’s dynamic, kind of like a young Tomos Williams, improvising,” offensive coach Rich Reese said before the kickoff.
Hope has shown that he is more than just an option to refuel off the bench and is aiming to continue playing in the coming weeks, with game management improving as he gains experience.
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The Dragons won three games on the bounce for the first time since 2015 but fell short.
They failed to show off their first-half performance after the restart, but showed resilience again ahead of their New Year’s Day clash with Skalets.
Scarlets qualify for 2024-25 URC play-offs [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Scarlet slides back to the bottom
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel could not hide his frustration after seeing his side beaten by local rivals Ospreys and slip to the bottom of the URC table.
“I’m frustrated with the result because I feel like we’re in a good spot,” Peel said.
“We moved the ball a lot out there and I felt like if we were accurate we could dominate the game.
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“We started well. In the first 20 minutes we had all the territory and possession but we couldn’t get over the line.
“We didn’t play in the second half. So when we look back at the game, there are some elements that will disappoint us.”
Peel hopes his captain Josh McLeod can return for the New Year’s Day derby trip to face the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
The flanker suffered a head injury against Cardiff City before Christmas and missed the Ospreys’ defeat.
“He played really well,” Peele said. “From a leadership standpoint, you do miss him as a good player. I wish him the best next week.”
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It will be another basement battle, pitting 16th-place Scalai against the Dragons, who are one spot above them in the standings.
“Now it’s getting thick and fast,” Peel said. “It’s a big game for us next week as well, it’s going to be a tough game at Newport.”
Scarlets moved from Stradey Park in 2008 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Crowd shows interest in Welsh professional rugby
Cardiff and Llanelli host derbies on December 26, with games to be played at Newport and Bridgend on New Year’s Day.
The Bloods beat the hosts at a packed Arms Park before Christmas and this time the Blue and Black triumphed in front of a packed house.
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Cardiff announced that 12,125 tickets had been sold out, with Dragons manager Filo Tiatia praising the atmosphere.
“The crowd was fantastic for Cardiff City and the Dragons,” said Tiadia, a legend from his time as a player for the Ospreys. “It ended up being a singing competition.
“It’s great to see how far local derbies go and the fans come out to support their teams.
“That’s what we expect from derbies – they’re competitive, the grounds are sold out and the game is evolving. It’s all about tribalism in the regions.”
Parc y Scarlets was also attended by more than 12,000 people, with victorious Ospreys boss Jones hoping there will be more such occasions as the WRU looks to cut back on the men’s professional teams.
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“You can tell it’s a West Wales derby and hopefully they can keep it going,” Jones said.
“These occasions are important. Right at the end of the game, seeing your players and coaches meeting their families in the stands far away.
“There are all kinds of things they and the fans could be doing this time of year, but they choose to come down and support their team.
“It was amazing. We talked about the emotional aspect of the game in derbies and how to harness that emotion.
“I think the boys capitalized on that emotion well and Scaly did the same thing. I think they took care of the jersey just as well.”
