Shane Williams column: Regions must take lead from Connacht

The Welsh regions have a massive point to prove in the Guinness Pro12 this season and I’m expecting there to be three wins on the opening weekend next week.
Last season was a disaster for the regional game in Wales. No teams in the play-offs and only one side qualifying for the European Champions Cup.
Whatever anyone says, that’s just not good enough.
Don’t get me wrong, I know there are problems in the domestic game and the struggles faced by the regions, not least when it comes to facing the mega-rich French and English clubs in Europe.
No-one is realistically putting the Scarlets or Cardiff Blues on a par with Racing 92, Toulon or Saracens. But they should be standing shoulder to shoulder with Ulster, Glasgow and Connacht.
What happened last season with Connacht winning the Pro12 was wonderful for the game, a great story to follow and an inspiration to the rest of the league.
It was rugby’s version of Leicester City’s shock success in the Premier League.
But it was also a damning indictment on the Welsh regions and how poor they were last season. They all have to improve and I think they will. But they could all do with taking a leaf out of Connacht’s book.
I’m not so sure Connacht winning the title was such a shock.
To give them credit, they have been improving every year, unlike most teams. They have a clear plan they stick to and after becoming hugely difficult to beat at home, they started picking off scalps on the road.
They have a squad who has spent time together and then Pat Lam added a couple of really smart signings, guys like Bundee Aki, and then you have a winning combination.
Can they do it again?
Well I think they will definitely be up there again because their improvement has not been a fluke.
But every champion team faces a struggle to defend the title and they will not have the World Cup to help them.
There is little doubt that the huge amount of international rugby last season played into Connacht hands. They are not effected anywhere near as badly as Leinster, Ospreys or Glasgow so were able to have consistency in selection.
One thing that improves every player is time on the pitch and that’s what we saw last season. However, the other clubs will see the benefit of having to blood so many young players.
When you have star players in your squad, coaches would love to pick the same team every week until they’re 40 in search of silverware.
But you always have to have an eye on the next generation and sometimes that means losing the odd game.
Leinster have seen one group of winners retire but have done a great job of pushing through the next Brian O’Driscoll or Gordon D’Arcy.
Ospreys have had to do the same with the likes of Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield and Owen Watkins but they will now be a key part to any success.
My old team are still my pick to lead the Welsh challenge this year. I’m very excited about what Cardiff Blues are doing and the return of Jonathan Davies to Scarlets is a massive boost.
But when the Ospreys are fully-loaded, there is no other team in the Pro12 that can stop them.
Alun Wyn Jones is a man-mountain but bringing in Bradley Davies alongside him was a great move.
Bradley is a big unit himself, he has Test-match experience, is another lineout option, will strengthen the scrum and will take some of the pressure of Alun Wyn.
What they cannot afford to do it start the season as badly as they have in recent years.
They were chasing the league all last season and simply left themselves with too much to do.
Cardiff Blues have been consistently average for a few years now but I really think that could come to an end soon.
They have British Lions, international players and the Wales captain as well as young players like Ellis Jenkins who have really stepped up. Now it is time they start to deliver.
Scarlets have brought in some good signings and that could make a real difference because their lack of depth was badly exposed at the business end of last season when injuries and sickness hit the squad.
As for Newport Gwent Dragons, well I fear it could be just more of the same at Rodney Parade.
They are an honest bunch and never lack commitment. But Taulupe Faletau has gone and they will again rely on the kids.
Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon are such promising players but you wonder how long they will stick around if they don’t believe there is any ambition among the top levels of the region.