That gives them a 64% success rate. Next best are Scarlets with 57%. Cardiff Blues have a 42% success rate and the Dragons are currently on 33%.
There was one season when there were five regions. The Celtic Warriors won four of their eight fixtures for a 50% success rate.
FIRSTS
First Derby: The first Welsh Regional Derby was played at Stradey Park on 6 September, 2003. The Scarlets beat the Dragons 35-11 in front of a crowd of 4,300.
First Teams: Scarlets 35, Dragons 11, Stradey Park, 6 September, 2003
Scarlets: Barry Davies; Rihard Rees, Tal Selley, Leigh Davies (captain), Sal Finau; Gareth Bowen, Dale Burn; Dai Maddocks, Aled Gravelle, John Davies, Adam Jones, Vernon Cooper, Chris Wyatt, Ian Boobyer, Scott Quinnell.
Reps Used: Nathan Williams, Rhys Williams, Bryn Griffiths, Mike Phillips, Matthew Watkins.
Reps Unused: Gareth Williams, Ceirion Thomas
Scorers: Tries: S Quinnell 2; Cons: G Bowen 2; Pens: G Bowen 6; DG: B Davies
Dragons: Brett Davey; Nathan Brew, Andy Marinos (captain), Steve Winn, Ben Breeze; Craig Warlow, Rhodri Jones; Adam Black, Paul Young, Chris Anthony, Ian Gough, Peter Sidoli, Shawn van Rensburg, Jason Forster, Rhys Oakley
Reps Used: Dai Pattison, Luke Charteris, Jamie Ringer, Hal Luscombe, Lee Jarvis.
Reps Unused: Steve Jones, Bryan Shelbourne.
Scorers: Try: J Forster; Pens: B Davey 2.
Referee: A Lewis (IRFU)
First Points: The first of six penalties kicked in the game by Scarlets outside half Gareth Bowen. He ended with a match haul of 22 points in the Scarlets 35-11 win over Dragons on 6 September, 2003.
First Try: The first try scored in a Welsh Regional Derby came after 62 minutes of the game between the Scarlets and Dragons on 6 September, 2003, and was scored by Scott Quinnell.
First Try Hat-Trick: Cardiff Blues wing set a Welsh Regional Derby record of four tries in a match in the 43-6 win at Cardiff Arms Park over the Ospreys on 25 October, 2003 in Game 7.
First Yellow Card: Dragons centre Steve Winn for a head high tackle on Salesi Finau after 42 minutes of the 35-11 defeat against the Scarlets on 6 September, 2003.
First Red Card: In Game 16 at Rodney Parade between the Dragons and Celtic Warriors on Friday, 26 March, 2004. Warriors’ flanker Ma’ama Molitika was sent off by Irish referee Alan Lewis in the 69th minute for throwing a punch.
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
Regional Head Coaches in 2003/04: Cardiff Blues – Dai Young; Celtic Dragons – Lynn Howells; Dragons – Mike Ruddock; Ospreys – Lyn Jones; Scarlets – Gareth Jenkins.
Regional Captains in 2003/04: Cardiff Blues – Martyn Williams; Celtic Dragons – Gareth Thomas/Richard Bryan; Dragons – Andy Marinos; Ospreys – Scott Gibbs; Scarlets – Leigh Davies.
There are still a number of players still playing who figured in Welsh Derbies in the first season of Regional rugby:
Player 2003 Club 2014 Club
Luke Charteris Dragons / Perpignan
Ben Evans Blues / Moseley
Ian Gough Dragons /Dragons
Cai Griffiths Ospreys / London Irish
Gavin Henson Ospreys / Bath
Paul James Ospreys /Bath
Gethin Jenkins Warriors / Blues
Phil John Scarlets /Scarlets
Adam Jones Ospreys /Ospreys
Adam M Jones Scarlets /Dragons
Duncan Jones Ospreys / Ospreys
Ryan Jones Warriors / Ospreys
Nick Macleod Blues / Sale Sharks
Sonny Parker Warriors / London Welsh
Dwayne Peel Scarlets / Bristol
Mike Phillips Scarlets / Racing Metro ’92
Richie Pugh Ospreys / Scarlets
Matthew Rees Warriors / Blues
Nicky Robinson Blues / Bristol
Rob Sidoli Warriors / Dragons
Jonathan Thomas Ospreys / Worcester Warriors
T Rhys Thomas Blues / Dragons
How about this for an Overseas XV from the 2003/04 season, all of who played in Welsh Regional Derby games. Rod Snow has been press-ganged into the hooking role:
Regional Overseas XV 2003/04: Stefan Terblanche (Ospreys/SA); Dave Tiueti (Ospreys/Ton), Pieter Muller (Blues/SA), Salesi Finau (Scarlets/Ton), Aisea Havili (Scarlets/Ton); Percy Montgomery (Dragons/SA), Sililo Martens (Warriors/Ton); Ken Fourie (Blues/SA), Rod Snow (Dragons/Can), Jon Thiel (Warriors/Can), Heino Senekal (Blues/Nam), Matt Cockbain (Blues/Aus), Bobby Skinstad (Dragons/SA), Simon Easterby (Scarlets/Ire), Dave Hodges (Scarlets/USA).
Replacements: Daren Crompton (Blues/Eng), Luke Tait (Ospreys/Can), Dan Baugh (Blues/Can), Cory Harris (Warriors/NZ), Elvis Seveali’i (Ospreys/Sam), Sione Tuipilotu (Dragons/Ton), Bryan Shelbourne (Dragons/Ire)
Of the current coaching panels at the four Welsh Regions, many were playing in the first season of Regional Rugby. Dale McIntosh and Paul John, currently in charge at the Blues, were playing for Celtic Warriors; Simon Easterby, now at the helm at the Scarlets, was playing for the club in 2003; Steve Tandy, head coach at the Ospreys, was playing for the Ospreys in 2003 along with current Team Manager, Andy Lloyd; Lyn Jones, head coach at the Dragons, was coaching at the Ospreys in 2003.
Top 20 Appearances
47 Adam Jones (Ospreys)
Matthew Rees (42 Scarlets / 5 Warriors)
46 Adam M Jones (26 Dragons / 20 Scarlets)
45 Ryan Jones (40 Ospreys / 5 Warriors)
43 Phil John (Scarlets)
40 T Rhys Thomas (37 Blues / 3 Dragons)
Deiniol Jones (32 Blues / 8 Warriors)
39 Andrew Bishop (Ospreys)
Paul James (Ospreys)
Richard Hibbard (Ospreys)
38 Steve Jones (Dragons)
Rob Sidoli (21 Dragons / 14 Blues / 3 Warriors)
Ceri Sweeney (22 Blues / 16 Dragons)
37 Ian Gough (19 Dragons / 18 Ospreys)
Duncan Jones (Ospreys)
Iestyn Thomas (Scarlets)
36 Gavin Thomas (18 Scarlets / 14 Dragons / 4 Ospreys)
John Yapp (Blues)
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)
35 Mike Phillips (14 Ospreys / 10 Blues / 11 Scarlets)
Deacon Manu (Scarlets)
Adam Black (Dragons)
Only two backs appear in the top 20 list of players who have made the most appearances in Welsh Regional Derbies. Ospreys centre Andrew Bishop leads the way with 39 games, while Mike Phillips made 35 appearances for the Scarlets, Blues and Ospreys, including one start on the wing.
Top 5 Points Scorers
332 Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
228 Stephen Jones (Scarlets)
210 Ben Blair (Blues)
195 Gavin Henson (Ospreys)
186 James Hook (Ospreys)
Top 5 Try Scorers
12 Penalty Tries
10 Shane Williams (Ospreys)
9 Ryan Jones (Ospreys)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Aled Brew (6 Dragons / 2 Ospreys / 1 Blues)
Matthew Watkins (8 Scarlets / 1 Dragons)
Highest Score by a team in a Welsh Regional Derby
60 Ospreys (v Scarlets, 27/12/06)
Lowest Score by a team in a Welsh Regional Derby
0 Blues (v Scarlets, 13/03/04)
Dragons (v Ospreys, 18/03/05)
Blues (v Ospreys, 01/01/10)
Most Points by a player in a Welsh Regional Derby
26 Dan Biggar (Ospreys v Scarlets 27/12/10)
CLEAN SWEEP
The Ospreys are the only Region to have gone unbeaten in a season against all their Welsh rivals. They completed the whitewash in 2012/13 and remain unbeaten in their five games to date this season.
The Dragons are the only Region to have failed to win a Welsh Derby in a season. They lost all six in 2012/13 and have managed to win only one game in four previous seasons. The Scarlets have yet to win a Welsh Derby in three attempts this season
