Red hot Blues... another bumper crowd... and a miserable pitch invasion!

THE Scarlets and Ospreys could both still finish in the top four of the Guinness Pro12 to advance to the title playoffs.

Irish provinces Munster and Leinster have already booked their places and there’s a three-way scrap between the two Welsh regions and Ulster for the two remaining semi-final berths.

Scarlets overtook the Ospreys to move into third in the table with a dour 21-16 Judgement Day victory over a dogged Newport Gwent Dragons at the Principality Stadium.

Ospreys had earlier suffered a setback when they were walloped 35-17 by a resurgent Cardiff Blues in front of a 60,642 crowd.

However, Ulster’s 22-20 defeat at Leinster meant the Ospreys remained in the top four. They are two points behind the Scarlets and one in front of Ulster, who they meet in Swansea on April 29.

Rugby Correspondent Andy Howell picks his winners and losers from Judgement Day V... but it looks like the 36-year-old, three-time Lions tourist has never been away.

Lions coach Warren Gatland was in attendance and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jenkins is named in the squad for the end of season tour of New Zealand. Could he even go as captain? MADE an astonishing number of tackles as the Blues stopped the Ospreys in their tracks to put his hand up for a place in the Wales squad for end of season Tests against Tonga and Samoa.

The flanker led Wales Under-20 to the final of the Junior World Cup four years ago and is a proven leader. He’s had injury problems this campaign but his all-round game was spot-on as the Blues ripped into the misfiring Ospreys.

GUIDED New Zealand to the Under20 World Cup in 2011, keeping a certain Beauden Barrett out of the No.10 jersey, before later opting for Wales after qualifying through his Welshborn mother.

Injuries have been a thorn since he arrived here in autumn 2014 but, when he’s on-form, is a creative talent who is a master at timing passes to put runners into holes.

He’d slipped behind Sam Davies in the Wales pecking order but his recent performances for the Blues could see him get another opportunity on the international stage come June.

ONE of the mysteries of the star-studded Blues this season is how they have won so few games and been languishing in the bottom half of the table.

They’d started the season brightly but fell away badly. However, they have regained confidence in recent weeks and the form of Cuthbert has been further evidence of their upand-down campaign.

The wing had rediscovered his zest in recent times and his power-packed running into midfield set up two off Blues’ five tries against the Ospreys.

WHEN the veteran No.8 is up for it, he’s hot, when he’s not, he’s freezing. And he was at boiling point against the Ospreys, causing havoc with his charges.

He had to be restrained at the end of the first half from piling into injured Ospreys talisman Alun Wyn Jones, who was a water-carrier, following a disagreement, verbal sparring and finger-pointing.

But it was the Kiwi who had the last laugh as the Blues beat their rivals for the first time since the end of 2010.

EVEN though the crowd was down on last year’s figure, attracting 60,642 spectators was still an achievement with £10 ticket prices a major attractions.

Trains into Cardiff were rammed with fans, even those from the Ebbw Valley which contains famous rugby clubs Ebbw Vale, Newbridge, Abertillery and Crosskeys.

That shows there is an appetite for rugby in Gwent, it’s just the Dragons