Wales are the Six Nations champions for the second year running, and the fourth time in nine seasons. Last weekend, the Wales Sevens team came within a whisker of glory at the Hong Kong Sevens. Welsh rugby fans have rarely had it so good.
All of our Six Nations heroes will be returning to the scene of their triumph on Saturday but on this occasion comrades become foes, as the players don their regional colours in a dog-fight for supremacy. It's the Dragons versus the Scarlets, and the Blues versus the Ospreys in an all-Welsh double header.
Some are fighting for play-off survival; others just playing for pride. But whatever the incentive, you can be sure these games will be filled with thunderous collisions, furious exchanges and moments of individual brilliance. Nothing fires the imagination quite like a Welsh derby. Never mind two of them.
The Ospreys are the defending champions, and the most successful team in the tournament's history. They're also masters of timing. Last year, they won their first six games in a row, before suffering a bit of a mid-season wobble. But they recovered to piece together a breathtaking seven-game winning run, including a thrashing of Munster, and a nail-biting comeback win in the Dublin final.
This year, their title defence got off to the worst possible start with three defeats in a row – but momentum now appears to be on their side. All six of their Six Nations champions turned out to face the Dragons last Friday – less than a week after their heroics against England – and they dished out a pummelling. The Blues are next in their sights.
They're stranded in eighth place after a season to forget. It was always going to be a tough campaign after the exodus they suffered last year. The heart of the team was ripped out when the likes of Martyn Williams, Xavier Rush, Paul Tito, and Gethin Jenkins left en masse. And with a new head coach in Phil Davies, progress was always likely to be steady rather than spectacular.
For most of the season it's been a case of one step forwards, two steps back. A gritty away win in Munster might have heralded a turnaround, but they've since lost to the likes of Connacht and Treviso.
Two of the reasons Wales beat England so comfortably were Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton. The pair formed an irresistible breakaway partnership, dominating the breakdown. They'll be going head to head on Saturday for the first time ever in a competitive match. And given that they're both in contention for the same Lions jersey, that individual duel could be worth the admission price alone.
The Scarlets have been locked in a see-saw battle with their West Wales rivals the Ospreys for several weeks now. Their failure to secure a bonus point against winless Zebre last week allowed the Ospreys to overtake them in fourth place. That means Saturday's clash with the Dragons has assumed enormous significance, with hooker Ken Owens claiming if they don't win, they'll have blown their chance of making the play-offs.
The Scarlets have come fifth for two years running. They'll be desperate to go one better this year – and the prospect of doing so at the expense of their sworn enemies will surely be a motivating factor when they run out this weekend.
The Dragons hopes of making the play-offs evaporated a long time ago. But they'll want to prove to their beleaguered fans that they're still capable of mixing it with the best.
The omens aren't great: they've not beaten a Welsh region in the Pro12 this season, with the Ospreys and the Blues both having done the double over them. But with some key players back in the saddle – Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau and Andrew Coombs are all set to start - they'll have a little added grunt. And with the Lions tour looming, Lydiate in particular will see this as his chance to remind the selectors that he's too good to leave behind.
Regional rugby is at a crossroads right now. The self-imposed salary cap has made it harder for the regions to compete at the highest level, and with richer clubs in France and England determined to pick off Wales' brightest talent, there are still a wealth of concerns that need to be addressed. But on Saturday, we can focus on the rugby alone. And an opportunity for Welsh rugby's finest to fire the imagination of thousands of fans once more.
Watch Scrum V Live from 2pm on Saturday for live coverage of Dragons v Scarlets, or listen to Radio Wales Sport on BBC Radio Wales from 1.30pm for coverage from both matches plus Saturday's footballing action.
