It seems fair to say Welsh professional rugby has had better weekends, with three teams out of four losing.
Cardiff emerged victorious from the BKT United Rugby Championship derby in Llanelli, a result that did them immense credit after a difficult week played out against a backdrop of off-field noise.
But for the Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons there were a distinct shortage of positives.
Read more: Today's rugby headlines as Dan Biggar injury update issued after worrying exit
We look at the weekend’s winners and losers.
WINNERS
Josh Turnbull
Cardiff’s win over the Scarlets in Llanelli was not a thing of beauty, but sometimes in rugby aesthetics are of secondary importance.
Both sides knew as much on Saturday evening, with the result mattering hugely amid testing times for both teams.
Cardiff went into the game with off-field issues having clouded the build-up after allegations of indiscipline by a number of their players on a night out. There were also two straight defeats for them to ponder, both involving disappointing performances.
The Scarlets, too, needed a victory, in their case after a winless start to the season.
Undoubtedly, the size of the stakes contributed to a game that wasn’t always easy on the eye.
But defence is just as much a part of rugby as attack and Cardiff’s efforts in that area on Saturday were outstanding.
Josh Turnbull embodied their character in the 16-10 success.
Several times it appeared certain the west Walians would break through, only for blue-and-black shirted interventions to stop them, usually with their ultra-dependable captain to the fore.
It was leadership from the front from former Wales international Turnbull, a snapshot of why the 34-year-old is worth his weight in gold to the Arms Park club.
Impressive, then.
Very impressive, indeed.
Thomas Young
On the evidence of his first few outings for Cardiff since returning from Wasps, Thomas Young could well prove one of the signings of the year in Welsh rugby.
Against the Scarlets he showed why his dad David had been so keen to lure him back to the capital.
It wasn’t just his speed, skill and athleticism around the field that caught the eye.
His anticipation was also superb.
At times, the 30-year-old seemed to know what the Scarlets were going to do before they did it, while he was invariably first to the loose ball and a menace at the breakdown.
Wales’ riches at openside flanker are well-documented, but Young’s show against the Scarlets underlined that he shouldn’t be forgotten.
Wales Women
The kick was a pressure one with bells on.
Had Keira Bevan missed it, the World Cup ambitions of Wales Women might have effectively ended right there.
But she didn’t.
Displaying admirable calm, she bisected the posts from 30 metres in the 84th minute and so secured her team an 18-15 win over Scotland.
A potential route to the knockout stages is now in view, with the format allowing the two best third-placed teams to go through. Maybe Wales can do even better and finish in the top two in their pool, but New Zealand are reigning world champions and Australia can be dangerous.
For the moment, Ioan Cunningham's squad can savour the triumph over the Scots.
There was extra pressure on them as contracted players, but they were able to cope, and for that they deserve plenty of credit.
Rhys Priestland
He is 35 but for some advancing years are no hindrance in rugby.
Priestland remains one of the most intelligent players on the scene and on Saturday evening he used his experience to help guide Cardiff to victory against the Scarlets in Llanelli.
His kicking game was good from full-back, and when he switched to fly-half 12 minutes into the second half he continued to impact the game with skill and accuracy.
Jimmy Gopperth has been showing in England that age should be no impediment to quality performances.
Against the Scarlets. Priestland was evidently working out of the same playbook.
His was a key role in Cardiff’s victory.
Morgan Morris
Saturday night in Belfast didn’t prove enjoyable for the Ospreys.
But in adversity against Ulster, they had a player in Morgan Morris who still managed to shine.
Not only did the No. 8 manage a trademark try, working his way across from a couple of metres out, he also ripped open the Ulster defence on one occasion, continually crossed the gainline and threatened at the breakdown.
A depleted Ospreys were well-beaten as a team, unable to cope with the waves of pressure that kept coming at them.
But the uncapped Morris stood tall.
He could be proud of his effort.
Sione Kalamafoni
Whoever was on live stats duty at Parc y Scarlets could have been forgiven for struggling to keep up with the number of runs Kalamafoni put in against Cardiff.
The man is a carrying machine, a player who doesn’t stop taking the ball forward.
Whenever Cardiff seemed to bring him to the ground, a split-second later he’d regenerate and go again, crashing into the opposition defence.
Some made him man of the match, even though his team came out second best on the scoreboard.
Certainly, he didn’t deserve to leave the field a loser.
Ken Owens
He's back.
Watch this space.
LOSERS
Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons
It’s too early in the season for a full-blown panic, but it seems fair to say it’s been an uneven start to the campaign for the Welsh professional sides.
Cardiff at least managed a win over the weekend as they showed some resolve against the Scarlets.
But the Scarlets are woefully short of confidence after a start to the season that has left the natives restless out west.
It’s a strange one, though.
Had Vaea Fifita not lost the plot with five minutes left and attempted a dangerous ruck clearout on Shane Lewis-Hughes, a challenge for which he was red carded, the west Walians might have gone on to achieve victory. Certainly such an outcome seemed within their grasp until the Tongan flanker lost his discipline.
A win would have eased the pressure and made the world a happier place on the western side of the Loughor Bridge on Sunday morning.
But Cardiff were able to take the spoils.
The Scarlets will not need telling how important it is they beat Zebre in Llanelli this weekend.
They have played three home games already, and after the clash with Leinster on October 28, they will have a significant imbalance on their fixture card, with seven away games to play in the league over the rest of the season and just four matches at home.
They could do with Scott Williams returning to help settle matters down behind the scrum, while they also need to improve their aerial game and cut out the needless errors. If there’s one player they are missing more than any other of the past few years, it’s Jake Ball. How Dwayne Peel's team could do with the big lock’s ability to impose himself on the opposition right now.
The Ospreys and the Dragons found their strength in depth lacking on trips to Ulster and Treviso respectively. It doesn’t augur fantastically for the weeks when Wales internationals will be away.
The assumption is both Toby Booth and Dai Flanagan gave individuals chances in an attempt to get all concerned up to speed for when they’ll be thrust onto the frontline for several games.
It’s an understatement to say not all took those opportunities.
Gareth Thomas
Barely a minute into his comeback after hamstring trouble, the Wales international took a blow to the head area which forced him to leave the field.
He is now set for more time on the sidelines.
A potential blow for the Ospreys and Wales, then.
Ashton Hewitt
Here’s another one who must be wondering what he has to do for his luck to turn.
Barely five weeks ago he returned to playing action after 18 months out with a knee injury.
Now, after just two games back, he faces another spell on the sidelines, this time after damaging an ankle. Surgery will be required and an eight-week layoff is expected.
Sometimes, good fortune just proves elusive.
Grassroots rugby
Another weekend, another swathe of Welsh rugby matches called off at the grassroots of the game.
Seventeen games below the Indigo Welsh Premiership failed to take place.
The reasons will be varied, but for many clubs just raising a side post-pandemic has become a problem. “Although there was a league structure last year, because there was no urgency to play games, I think that mindset has crept into the players and sort of stuck,” Mike Roberts of Shotton Steel told WalesOnline last week. “We are getting reasonably good numbers for training. It’s just about getting people back into the cycle of ‘we need to play every league match. Every game is important and we can’t pick and choose which ones we play’.
In a world of increased leisure options, some are finding other things to do on a Saturday afternoon than play rugby.
The WRU believe the community game is in “rude health”, according to their annual report, albeit while acknowledging the job isn't done. You can read more about the problem here.
It isn't anywhere near done, with the word on the ground suggesting there are real concerns, and particularly over player numbers.
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