So another season and another Heineken cup has come and passed our Welsh regions. The Blue’s and Ospreys both made the quarter finals for the first time in their short history, their was optimism amongst their supporting fans that off the back of an unexpected Grand Slam, that this could be the year a Welsh team would have their hands firmly grasped on the Cup for the first time, how wrong it seems we all were.

Going back to their regions after bringing about the unexpected Grand Slam glory, the returning players from the Welsh squad were said to have brought with them the confidence and high team moral that had carried them through a tough 6 nations campaign. If so then I must be going blind as yesterdays performance, from both regions, was little more than abysmal. Ok so Cardiff were not expected to succeed in southern France against Toulouse but a 41-17 defeat is not what their travelling fans deserved, the Blue’s were the masters of their own downfall. More suprising to fans, neutrals and pundits alike was the defeat of the Ospreys by Saracens.

So where to begin? Two weeks ago the Ospreys had demolished Saracen’s 30-3 in the EDF semi-final and yesterday they met again, to fight it out to earn the right to face Munster in a mouthwatering semi-final. The game was so poor of any true quality that it is hard to understand how both sides managed to score a try, let alone get to double figures on the scoreboard. The Ospreys seemed derived of ideas with Hook again demonstrating, that by playing 10 at the highest level, he still has alot to learn as his control off the game at times was laughable. This match was meant to be the banker game for the 2 Welsh regions and yet they came up short again. I am just thankful  that the opposition were not of a higher quality as the final score would have been more emphatic than 19-10. Remember this was an Osprey team that fielded 12 players who had taken to the field and ended a 20 year drought for Wales at Twickenham just 8 weeks ago, and were the backbone of the eventual 6 nations success. This is not to say it is all over for the Ospreys, as next week they can try and make amends by defeating Leicester in the EDF final, and avenge last years 41-35 defeat at the same stage of the competition. If this does not happen, then im afraid Lyn Jones will have alot more free time on his hands to take up surfing down the mumbles. Why? with all the financial backing the region has been given the board expect to be reaping higher rewards than an uncompetitive Magners League title.

So Standind alone, holding aloft the hopes of the Celtic nation is Munster (AGAIN!) who by powering to a 16-3 win at Gloucster, showed what it takes to succeed in this toughest of competitions ( on the club circuit anyway). I just hope now by being a neutral, Munster send Saracen’s into the abyss and Toulouse truimph against a very ordinary London Irish side, which would set up a showpiece final between the two aristocrats of European rugby. It could have been so different but it seems the Fields of Athenry will be sung around the streets of Cardiff again come the Final. If this is not proof of how much work Gatland has still to do to turn Wales into a true world force come the 2011 World Cup, then I think a trip to specsavers might be his best bet.