Regions set to go into battle ahead of the new PRO14 campaign

PREPARATIONS for the coming campaign in the Guinness PRO14 and Europe kicks off in earnest this weekend with three of the four Welsh regions in action.

The Scarlets will have to wait until Saturday, August 18 when they host Gallagher Premiership new boys Bristol Bears at Carmarthen Park (2.30pm).

So who can we expect to see turning out for the Ospreys, Blues and Dragons?

Here’s your guide to the weekend’s matches.

You can check out all the fixtures for the forthcoming PRO14 season and the story behind them here.

This was the game pencilled in to herald the return of Lions skipper Sam Warburton to the Blues fold.

But in July after a 12-month period of rest and rehabilitation, the backrow colossus announced his immediate retirement at the age of 29, as injuries took their toll on his battered body.

But there’s plenty for Blues fans to get excited about with the arrival of Moldovan prop star Dmitri Arhip, from the Ospreys, and American back-row battering ram Samu Manoa from Toulon.

Blues fans could well see the unveiling of Arhip with the tighthead having already got his preparations for the coming season under way.

Rory Thornton comes on a seasonlong loan from the Ospreys and wing Jason Harries from Edinburgh.

It’s also all change on the coaching front as Aussie John Mulvihill takes the reins from Danny Wilson.

He’s joined by former Wales Under-20s coach Jason Strange to work with the backs while the forwards have Tom Smith overseeing things after joining from the Ospreys.

Following their match with the Tigers, the Blues travel to face Exeter Chiefs seven days later.

Mulvihill said: “We are delighted to test ourselves against two of the best teams in the Premiership at the end of our pre-season.

“The Leicester game at Cardiff Arms Park should be a celebration of the old and introduction to the new. It will be a great occasion for our supporters to feel the energy of the new season and the challenges ahead.

“This will be the first chance to gauge where we are physically, mentally and as a team. We will need to find our hard edge early ahead of the season.”

The Tigers had five players working with England at a pre-season training camp last weekend and they could miss the trip to Wales.

New signing Will Spencer joined George Ford, Jonny May, Jordan Olowofela and Ben Youngs in the 44-man squad that linked up for a camp in Teddington.

It had the makings of seeing two prodigal sons making a quick comeback against their former employers.

But while Dan Biggar could well be making his debut for the Saints after a decade at the Liberty Stadium, the likelihood of him facing Wales teammate George North in the opposing ranks are between nil and zero.

The Lions wing is only due back in pre-season training this week, after moving to the Ospreys from Franklin’s Gardens this summer, as is Welsh centre Scott Williams, who has made the move from the Scarlets.

But another new recruit, scrumhalf Aled Davies, may well get a run out with his preparations at a more advanced stage. Highly-rated back Lesley Klim is helping Nambia in their qualification games for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and is also set to miss out.

The Ospreys had a beneficial training ground hit out with the Cardiff Blues last week in readiness for the Northampton clash in Bridgend.

“It was extremely beneficial for both teams,” head coach Allen Clarke told Ospreys TV. “We were able to test what we’ve done to date pre-season. It was a good stimulus for the players, it brought a real buzz and a change of environment as well.

“It allowed us as a coaching group to test our systems and identify what’s been good and what we need to improve as we approach pre-season games. What’s enthralling about playing Northampton, a quality outfit, is that neither team really know what the other will bring, other than enthusiasm and physicality.”

One notable absentee from the Saints party will be England skipper Dylan Hartley, who is struggling to be fit for the start of the season after sustaining a concussion injury back in March.

This game was originally due to be played at the Bridge Field, Bedwas, but has been switched to west London.

The two clubs have been frenetic in the summer with a staggering 88 players arriving or moving on.

Ealing have brought in 30 newcomers with Pat Howard arriving from the Dragons alongside Cardiff Met duo Ben Williams and George Simpson.

In their debit column former Scarlets Academy lock Llewellyn Jones has moved on to Nottingham, exOspreys and Scarlets back-rower Morgan Allen to Cardiff, former Dragon Lewis Robling heads to Bedford Blues and hooker Rhys Lawrence is among the 14 new faces at the Dragons.

This is the first of three friendlies for Bernard Jackman’s Dragons with a home match with Northampton Saints six days later and a trip to Gloucester on Thursday, August 23.

One certain absentee will be new boy Ross Moriarty following his fourweek suspension after his sending off for foul play in the second Test between Argentina and Wales.