HOW REGIONS SHAPE

CARDIFF BLUES

AN Arms Park Rip Van Winkle who fell asleep on the evening of Judgement Day might wake up for the new season feeling entirely positive.

After all, before putting his head on the pillow he had seen his side humiliate the Ospreys and play with admirable attitude and commitment.

But it hasn’t been an easy summer for the Blues, with persistent rumours of belt-tightening culminating last week in the news that Franco van der Merwe would be leaving the region before he started a game for them.

Maybe before he had even sampled a pint of Brains SA.

Van der Merwe was being drafted in to provide leadership in the second row. Now someone else will have to fill that role. There has been talk of nurturing homegrown talent and that will please some, but the reality is it takes time to develop players. That said, experience shouldn’t be in short supply.

T’ao Filise is 40, Gethin Jenkins and Matthew Rees are both 36, Damian Welch is 35 and Nick Williams is 33.

The certainty is that lot are not going to be surprised by anything the campaign throws at them. But age needs to be complemented by youth.

On the positive side, Welch could prove useful and so could Jack Roberts, a midfield acquisition from Leicester Tigers.

There is further quality in the squad and Danny Wilson is a fine coach, but his side can be a shade brittle.

It will be a challenge for him to lead them back into top-tier European rugby.