Lewis: Keep the momentum going

Domestic rugby returns to centre stage this weekend after the dramatic ending to the RBS Six Nations, Saturday sees Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys battle it out in the semi-finals of the EDF Energy Cup for the right to play either Leicester Tigers or Sale Sharks in the showpiece final at Twickenham.

Next week it will be the turn of the Scarlets and Dragons to fly the Welsh flag in Europe as they host top quality opposition in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.

“We finally saw the true potential of the Welsh players last weekend and the majority of the team that overcame England will be on duty for their Regions in massively important fixtures over the next eight days,” said Lewis. “After a difficult start to the year it would be great to maintain the momentum we finally gathered last weekend and see three of our Regions battling for top honours in the EDF Energy Cup and the two European tournaments.

“We are guaranteed a finalist at Twickenham in the Anglo-Welsh competition, but wouldn’t it be great if the Scarlets could finally go all the way in the Heineken Cup and follow either the Blues or Ospreys to the home of English rugby for the top European final on 20th May.

“Having won six out of six matches in qualification for the knock-out phase the Scarlets earned the right to a home draw against title holders Munster and Welsh rugby is guaranteed a fantastic sell-out occasion at Stradey Park next Friday night.

“It has been three years since a Welsh side reached the knock-out phase of the Heineken Cup and it has been five since the Scarlets last reached the semi-finals. It is interesting to see the make-up of the last eight in the Heineken Cup as there are three Magners League sides, three Guinness Premiership clubs and two French Top 14 teams.

Reaching the quarter-finals not only brings huge credibility to the qualifying clubs and their nations, but also considerable funding.

“Reaching the semi-finals would mean an even bigger windfall for the Scarlets and would give many of Gareth Jenkins’s Wales squad players a chance to shine on the biggest stage in the northern hemisphere outside the RBS Six Nations.

“The same is true for the Dragons. They managed to beat off the challenge of Guinness Premiership side Bristol to win their Pool and will host former Heineken Cup winners Brive at Rodney Parade in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup next weekend.

“The prize at stake for the Dragons is automatic qualification for next season’s Heineken Cup tournament if they can become the first Welsh team to win a European crown. There is so much to play for and, after last weekend’s morale boosting win by Wales, there is every reason to think that the current feel-good factor in Welsh can only increase over the next few weeks.

“There is likely to be a massive crowd at the Millennium Stadium to see the regional derby clash between the Blues and Ospreys and there will be more packed houses for the European ties the following weekend. Meanwhile, the Konica Minolta Cup reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend and there are likely to be more thrills and spills over those four games. Things are looking up.”