Shane Williams: Judgement Day will act as Warren Gatland’s World Cup trial
The Wales coach is not going to be among the record crowd at the Millennium Stadium. But you can bet your last pound that he will be watching every aspect of the two regional derbies, Blues v Ospreys and Dragons v Scarlets. After all, they’re the closest we’re going to get this season to a World Cup trial.
Last year Gatland resurrected the old Probables versus Possibles game before touring South Africa in the summer and it was a huge success.
They don’t have time to organise another such trial so next week is the best chance many players are going to get to put one over their rival for the Wales shirt and impress the coaches.
Believe me, the Wales management really do look at how well players handle these big-match situations under increased pressure.
Gatland has always been open-minded with his selection. How many times over the years have we seen him bring in a youngster from nowhere to be part of the squad, and sometimes even the starting team? Plenty.
Derbies are always feisty encounters but especially this year ahead of a World Cup. Every player realises the World Cup squad is not finalised yet so places are definitely up for grabs.
No doubt there will be a few players Gatland has already been keeping an eye on during the season. So occasions like next week are exactly the moment for someone to seize the chance.
There are some great individual match-ups in both games.
Tyler Morgan of the Dragons was called up to the Six Nations squad and will have a chance to prove himself against Scarlets centre Scott Williams. Morgan looks to be a great talent but he will be up against one of the form centres in Europe.
Wales captain Sam Warburton faces a really tough challenge from his under-study Justin Tipuric who has been desperately unlucky not to get more caps than he has stuck behind the captain. In another time Tipuric would be approaching 40 caps by now. He is a top-class openside and will be relishing his match-up with the national skipper.
And then there’s the battle of two fly-halves. Ospreys Dan Biggar is rightfully the man in possession of the red No.10 jersey, but Gareth Anscombe, the new Kiwi kid on the block, wants to prove he’s got what it takes.
It will be Anscombe’s first game at the Millennium Stadium in front of what looks set to be a record crowd for a club match at the venue. That just shows the public appetite for these derbies.
As well as individual battles to be won, all the regions have something to play for.
For Cardiff Blues it is salvaging some pride from a disappointing season and, for a few guys, possibly they are playing for a contract next season.
The Dragons will want to bounce back from their European hammering against Edinburgh and have an outside chance of making seventh place given they play both Scarlets and Edinburgh.
Scarlets are fighting to finish in the top six and clinch Champions Cup rugby. They will certainly want to avoid a play-off and another game at the end of a long season.
As for the Ospreys, once again they are flying the flag for Wales in the Pro12.
I think they can go all the way to the title but this game against the Blues is a potential banana skin because derbies are so unpredictable. People will probably accuse me of being biased, but the Ospreys deserve so much credit for being consistently the best of the four regions.
In the past they have been willing to spend money to bring some of the biggest names in the game to the Liberty Stadium such as Justin Marshall, Marty Holah and Jerry Collins. But their production line has also been outstanding and they have continually churned out local lads like Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Andrew Bishop who have gone on to play for Wales.
That shows their academy has done just as big a job as anyone’s purse.
