The festive season of United Rugby Championship competition is here with two high-stakes rugby fixtures on Saturday to excite rugby fans over Christmas.
Excitement is building for the most eagerly anticipated games of the year for URC players, coaches, supporters and TV pundits as packed stadiums across Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, Italy and Wales add to the Christmas spirit.
Three Boxing Day bangers complete the first instalment of festive derbies with Cardiff hosting Dragons at a packed Cardiff Arms Park in the Welsh capital. Cardiff put on a show at home last time out in Europe against Bath but have only won one in their last five URC fixtures. The Dragons also looking for points after clocking only one victory in their URC campaign so far. The history books favour the hosts with Cardiff having won their last 17 fixtures against the Dragons in the URC.
Then it’s a trip West for one of the biggest derby rivalries in Welsh rugby as Scarlets host Ospreys in Llanelli followed by another huge fixture in the rugby calendar to complete the Boxing Day trio this time in Ireland as Munster host Leinster at Thomond Park with Graham Little, Luke Fitzgerald, David Wallace, Ryle Nugent and Alan Quinlan bringing all the action from this hotly-contested InterPro.
Cardiff Rugby v Dragons RFC - 17:00 (SA Time)
Local authority permission has been sought to increase the capacity of the Arms Park to around 12,000 for this Boxing Day derby, such has been the demand for tickets, with more than 10,000 having been sold already.
That comes on the back of a crowd of 10,158 for last weekend’s thrilling Champions Cup clash with Bath at the famous old ground.
Cardiff’s Wales wing Josh Adams says it’s a huge positive to see such numbers turning out.
“To be able to attract people back again is vitally important, to get people back through the gates,” he said.
“The fact we are close to being sold out for this game is brilliant. Hopefully we can have a full house and go after it.
“We are really thankful to the supporters for how they have backed us this season. It’s brilliant to have so many of them turning out.
“We try and repay them with fight and effort, giving our best on the pitch to represent the club. Hopefully they are enjoying the experience.
“We are trying to play a brand of rugby that will attract people back to the Arms Park. We are also showing what it means to us as a group to represent the club and the fans. It’s about having a never-say-die attitude and keeping on going at teams no matter what.
“The most important thing is showing spirit, fight, commitment and desire on the field. Those are the things that will connect you better with your supporters and bring them back, along with playing a good brand of rugby.”
Adams is confident of being fit to face the Dragons after picking up a “dead knee” in scoring the second of his two tries in the 39-32 defeat to Bath.
Cardiff also look set to have flanker James Botham available to play his first game of the season after some 12 weeks out with a hamstring tear.
As for the Dragons, they will be looking to build on a positive start to their Challenge Cup campaign which saw them beat Oyannax and then come tantalisingly close to a French double, only to be denied at the death out in Pau.
They have lost their last 17 matches against Cardiff in the Vodacom URC, a run that continued with October's 16-9 defeat at Rodney Parade.
Head coach Dai Flanagan said: “We need to get that hoodoo off our back and it’s a big game for us.
“We owe Cardiff a good performance. We were disappointed with the home display against them. I’m sure if we play well, we will stand a chance.
"We need to make sure that collectively we don't let each other down going into what is a big derby period for us. It's full of excitement and opportunity. We need to take that."
Scarlets v Ospreys - 19:15 (SA Time)
Dwayne Peel says the Boxing Day west Wales derby is the perfect game for his Scarlets as they look to turn around their season.
Peel’s team have lost seven of their nine games in all competitions, culminating in last weekend’s shock 23-7 defeat at home to Georgian outfit Black Lion in the Challenge Cup.
He says he understands the fans’ anger and will be looking for a reaction from his players in the festive showdown with arch local rivals Ospreys.
"I think this now is the perfect game, in terms of sharpening the focus,” said the head coach.
"It is one of our biggest games of the season, a Boxing Day derby.
“It will be a good occasion with more than 9,000 tickets sold already.
"Having the fans behind us and a great atmosphere is what we all enjoy. I know there will be 10,000, if not more, here on Boxing Day and it will be an incredible atmosphere."
Peel continued: “We recognise the frustrations of the fans. We feel the disappointment as well.
"I understand their (fans) anger and it's important to note we as a squad, us staff and collectively as a club understand it. Everyone is working hard to turn things around and I'm sure we will.
"I've supported this club since I was three or four years old. We've been through some bad times before and I know how amazing our supporters are and they're 100% behind us.
"Obviously, they're disappointed at the moment and I understand their frustration, but for me as head coach I'm incredibly proud of what they give us.
"I have been in teams before where we have lost poorly and it's how you bounce back. We will work hard to make sure we put a performance together."
The Scarlets are set to be boosted by the return of Tongan lock Sam Lousi from injury for his first game of the season, while prop Wyn Jones and centre Joe Roberts could also be back in the mix.
As for the Ospreys, they have experienced mixed fortunes in the Challenge Cup over the last couple of weeks, beating Benetton at home, but then losing heavily out in Montpellier.
Munster v Leinster - 21:35 (SA Time)
Munster’s new Kiwi centre Alex Nankivell is anticipating a very special atmosphere as he looks ahead to his first derby against Leinster.
The 27-year-old has made a big impact since coming on board from the Chiefs of Waikato in October - and the fans have made a big impact on him.
“It’s unreal,” he said. “Stadiums in New Zealand are probably a bit bigger and people sit a bit further away.
“The supporters are real passionate here and to have an atmosphere like we did, when it wasn’t even full, for my first time playing at Thomond was pretty awesome.”
Reflecting on how he has settled in, the Christchurch-schooled midfielder said: “I had a bit of anxiety coming over, not really knowing too many people, but it’s been awesome. The lads have looked after me. It’s been no dramas at all. The boys have been great.”
Giving his take on the clash in Limerick, Leinster coach Leo Cullen commented: "It’s an exciting fixture and hopefully our guys will be up for the challenge.
“You've got to make sure you get to the emotional pitch.
“It will be a full house, a good atmosphere. The game and the environment, it’s a great occasion.”
Cullen’s team will head into the derby on the back of eight successive wins in all competitions, while Munster are coming off a challenging couple of weeks in the Champions Cup, drawing at home to Bayonne and losing down in Exeter.