Many of the players began pre-season training on 1 June last year. Now, 12 months on, they get one last shot at earning the bragging rights over their regional rivals.
The Welsh Shield has already returned to the hands of the Ospreys, who go into their match with Cardiff Rugby at Cardiff City Stadium next weekend still with an outside chance of reaching the play-offs.
The Scarlets will want to avoid being beaten twice in the same season by the Dragons, and three times in a row after their defeat at Judgement Day 2023, while Dai Flanagan’s Dragons are desperate not to allow Zebre to overtake them and leave them propping up the BKT United Rugby Championship.
There is a lot to play for! To whet your appetite, here are some facts and figures from previous Judgement Day games.
DRAGONS AT JUDGEMENT DAY – DID YOU KNOW . . .
- Three players have survived from the first Dragons matchday squad on Judgement Day in 2013 to play this season – Dan Lydiate, Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff) and Sam Parry (Ospreys).
- Scrum half Jonathan Evans scored the first points and try for Dragons at Judgement Day in 2013. He pounced to score in the 36th minute in the 28-20 defeat to Scarlets.
- Elliot Dee bagged the fastest try in Judgement Day history last year when he drove over after only three minutes in the win over Scarlets.
Elliot Dee
- Wales lock Matthew Screech is the only Dragons player to score twice in a game on Judgement Day. His brace came in the 34-32 win over Scarlets in 2019.
- Josh Lewis holds the records for the most points scored in a game for Dragons on Judgement Day with his 17 from the 34-32 win over Scarlets in 2019.
- Angus O’Brien has scored the most points overall for Dragons on Judgement Day with 32.
SCARLETS AT JUDGEMENT DAY – DID YOU KNOW . . .
- The first points scored on Judgement Day came from the boot of the then Scarlets outside half Owen Williams in the 19th minute of the 28-20 win over the Dragons.
- George North notched the first try scored on Judgement Day in the 26th minute in the same game.
- Nine players from the Scarlets matchday 23 in 2013 were still playing this season – Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Japan), George North, Owen Williams (Ospreys), Aled Davies (Saracens), Rhodri Jones, Rhodri Williams (Dragons), Josh Turnbull (Cardiff).
Jonathan Davies
- The Scarlets have score more tries than any other team at Judgement Day – 32. That puts them seven ahead of the Ospreys.
- In 2022 the Scarlets scored six tries against the Dragons to match the highest by one team in a game at the event, joining Ospreys from 2018. Their points tally in that victory, 41, is the most scored by any team on Judgement Day.
- Scarlets have scored the more points over their nine games on Judgement Day that any other region – 245. That gives them a match average of 27 per game from six wins over the Dragons two defeats and a loss to Cardiff in 2014.
- Three players have scored two tries for the Scarlets on Judgement Day – George North 2013, Tadhg Beirne 2018 and Johnny McNichol 2019.
- Steve Shingler’s 19 points in the win over the Dragons in 2016 makes him the highest points scorer for the Scarlets in a match on Judgement Day and overall in the nine games.
OSPREYS AT JUDGEMENT DAY – DID YOU KNOW . . .
- The honour of scoring the first points on Judgement Day fell to the then Scarlets, and now Ospreys, outside half Owen Williams. He kicked the first of his three penalties and two conversions in the 19th minute to steer Scarlets to a 28-20 win over Dragons.
- Skipper Justin Tipuric is the only survivor from the Ospreys line-up from 2013, although replacement prop Dmitri Arhip is currently playing for the Dragons.
Justin Tipuric
- James King was Ospreys first try scorer, crossing in 20th minute at Principality Stadium in the 23-16 win over Cardiff.
- The Ospreys have won six of their nine games on Judgement Day – five against Cardiff, one against Dragons. They have lost three times to Cardiff.
- The Ospreys were the first team to score six tries in a game at Judgement Day when they beat Cardiff 40-27 in 2018. That figure was matched by Scarlets in 2020 when they beat Dragons 41-20.
- Dan Biggar is the only player to have gone through the scoring card on Judgement Day when he notched 21 points in the 26-23 win over Cardiff in 2020. He scored a try, two conversions, four penalties and won the game with a 77th minute drop goal.
- Biggar’s 21 points are the highest scored in a single game by a player on Judgement Day. The next best is Jason Tovey’s 19 for Cardiff in 2022 and Scarlets’ Steve Shingler in 2016.
- Gareth Anscombe leads the way with the most points scored on Judgement Day with 86 – 77 for Cardiff and nine for Ospreys. Biggar is second with 70.
CARDIFF RUGBY AT JUDGEMENT DAY – DID YOU KNOW . . .
- The first try and points scored for Cardiff on Judgement Day came from Leigh Halfpenny back in 2013.
- Leigh is still playing for the Crusaders in New Zealand, as are Lloyd Williams (Ealing Trailfinders) and Lewis Jones (Dragons).
- Next week is the 10th edition of Judgement Day. Cardiff have met the Ospreys eight times, and it is 5-3 in the series to the Ospreys. The other game was a win over the Scarlets in 2014.
- Jason Tovey holds the record for the most points scorer by a Cardiff player at Judgement Day – 19 in the 2022 behind closed doors game at the Arms Park in a 29-20 win over the Ospreys.
- The most points gathered by a Cardiff player are the 77 from Gareth Anscombe (3T 13C 12P) in five games.
Gareth Anscombe in action for Cardiff
- Lopeti Timani’s brother, Sione, was a replacement for Scarlets at the first Judgement Day in 2013.
JUDGEMENT DAY 2024 – SATURDAY I JUNE
Scarlets v Dragons – 3.00pm
Cardiff Rugby v Ospreys – 5.30pm
Supporters can purchase tickets HERE
CAT A
Adult: £35
Concession (over 65/Full time students): £25
U16: £15CAT B
Adult: £25
Concession (over 65/Full time students): £20
U16: £15CAT C (limited number available)
Adult & Concession: £10
U16: £5
