The Celtic League attendances are always an interesting way of gauging how serious the local publics are treating the competition, and there's a couple of interesting figures at the turn of the year. Ulster once again top the table with an average figure of 9,739, while Leinster lie in fourth with 6,123, largely boosted by last week's bumper crowd at the RDS. Munster, meanwhile, are somewhat embarrassingly behind their rivals, although by just six fans, while Connacht sit in ninth place with an average gate of 1,820. The most interesting figures concern both Cardiff and the Ospreys.

Last year, while winning the competition, the Neath Swansea combination averaged just 5,454 supporters but already this season their average is up to over 8,500 at the New Stadium. Cardiff, meanwhile, have been bitten by the Jonah Lomu bug and their attendances are already up an average of 3,000 this season. Which just goes to show that a brand spanking new stadium and a fading star can do an awful lot for a team's finances.

It's not only Thomond Park that faces oblivion in the not too distant future though.

Stradey Park, home of the Llanelli Scarlets, is facing the wrecking ball at the end of this season if the club manage to get planning permission for 400 houses on the site of Welsh club rugby's most famous venue.

"This is not about erasing our heritage . . . far from it, " said the Scarlets' chief executive Stuart Gallacher. "It is about ensuring the Scarlets' success, fame and passion lives on." Chances are we will be hearing similar sentiments from down south.