It never ceases to surprise me how much the summer break can wipe away the memories of last season and replace them with hope and enthusiasm for the campaign ahead.
The first two Tests in South Africa have helped in re-framing the depressing mire that Welsh rugby was stuck in only a few months ago.
Regional rugby was on its knees, but supporters across Wales have been through these dark times before and yet return each September refreshed and optimistic.
READ MORE: The 'ridiculous' refereeing call that shocked TV commentators and saw New Zealand win crazy game
Are there any reasons to hope that things will be different this season? Well, it couldn’t get any worse.
I would offer these suggestions for why this season will be an improvement.
Firstly, each of the regions’ best XVs look pretty good. When they are fully-loaded, one should expect that they should be very competitive at home, at the very least.
Secondly, the example of the way Wales fronted up in South Africa this summer should provide some inspiration for the regions to avoid a repeat of the humiliation they all experienced on their travels last season.
Thirdly, most of the regional coaches have not been in their posts that long and are only now being able to shape the squads and style of play in the way they would like. This should make each team more cohesive and organised.
Finally, the build up for the next World Cup starts here. There are some genuinely great players approaching the end of their glittering careers. They will need to prove that they still have the game to deserve a place at the big show in France next autumn. Stalwarts such as Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Ken Owens and Leigh Halfpenny are not starters in the Wales team as things stand and will have to earn their way back into contention.
So, there are reasons to be positive and we could all do with something to lift the spirits in what is expected to be a very difficult winter for most households.
Boosting attendances will be harder than before so the regions must offer a good reason for fans to part with their precious cash and be present for the game. The rugby needs to be uplifting and exciting, otherwise they will look elsewhere for something that gives them an escape for a few hours.
I would rank the chances of each region at the start of the season as follows.
The Ospreys look the strongest team. Their pack is their strength, and in particular the number of forwards that can carry the ball effectively. They have enough weapons in the three-quarters to take advantage of that platform.
What concerns me about the Ospreys has been the lack of intent to open the game up. Their pack will not dominate this league with set-piece-focused rugby. Toby Booth has appointed Richard Fussell as attack coach, but it is the attitude of the man in charge that will determine how they play.
Pat Lam may not be the hands-on attack coach, but his sides play the game the way he wants it played. Booth did well to stabilise a region in crisis, but that was two years ago. He needs to move this side forward to the next level this season.
The Scarlets are the next best. Defence was a major issue last season and their reluctance to compete for the ball in the tackle allowed opponents quick ball. That will change, I suspect, with the arrival of Gareth Williams as defence coach. Coming from the Welsh set-up, you can expect line-speed and a lot more jackaling to slow opponents down.
Their best forwards are likely to be Sam Lousi, Sione Kalamafoni and Vaea Fifita, with Blade Thompson and Javan Sebastian likely to be first choice too. That would mean that most of the Scarlets pack are not Welsh qualified and that does raise some issues for me.
There will be a keen battle behind the scrum, with duelling fly-halves Sam Costelow and Rhys Patchell fighting it out, and an equally competitive scrap in midfield. Inconsistency is Dwayne Peel’s nemesis. But they are an explosive team by nature and he won’t want to curtail that and become risk averse.
David Young is gradually moulding the Cardiff squad into what he wants, although what he really wants is a quality front five. Unfortunately, those commodities are rare and expensive. Cardiff are trying to be less lightweight up front and need more gain-line threat behind. They have been forced into chasing high-tempo and high-risk rugby to avoid being dragged into a confrontational game.
The capitulation against Benetton in Treviso was unacceptable. That attitude cannot be allowed to exist and Young needs to have addressed that. More through luck than planning, Cardiff were forced to field Premiership players during the Covid outbreak last season and many of those acquitted themselves very well.
It proved to me that the regions must be more willing to look at local young talent and give them their head. Each of the regions are stuck in this groupthink that they have to fill their squads with proven journeymen. This leads to wage inflation and stagnant squads filled with jobbing professionals happy to pick up their pay cheque for sitting on a bench.
Bring in the young, ambitious, hungry players. The results could not get any worse than they already are. What do they have to lose?
It’s a big year for Jarrod Evans, the most gifted attacking fly-half in Wales. He is 26 now and at his peak. He has had time to improve those areas of his game that held him back but if he can be given some possession going forward he will tear teams apart.
Finally and predictably, we come to the Dragons. It has been yet another busy summer as Dean Ryan strengthens his squad. On paper, the Dragons look okay; unfortunately, on the pitch, they frequently don’t.
They possess the underwhelming quality of a team being less than the sum of its parts. I have watched a lot of the Dragons over the past few seasons and I find it hard to identify a particular pattern or style of play that they are striving to establish. The back five of the scrum is loaded with quality ball carriers, yet they never impose that strength on the opposition. They seem to play by numbers rather than hammer home their advantage.
Dean Ryan has moved the relatively inexperienced Dai Flanagan in as head coach. I have heard Ryan say the same thing for the last three years in post-match interviews. He is an eloquent speaker, an imposing figure and what he says seems to be plausible enough. However when you are saying the same thing for three years, one wonders if anything is actually being done to improve things.
He refers to each loss being a learning process, a journey of development and the players are taking more responsibility for what happens on the field. I would suggest that Ryan turns that analysis on himself. What lessons is he learning about making better decisions and improving the results? At what point does he take responsibility for what happens on the pitch and conclude that whatever he is doing is not cutting through.
Coaches or directors of rugby are under pressure, but surely there is an urgency for Ryan to see objective improvements in the form of victories by the autumn series. His challenge begins in Edinburgh this Saturday, a match that is on S4C.
There should be two regions making the play-offs every season as a basic minimum. I think that should be achievable this year.
Gwyn Jones is a part of S4C’s Clwb Rygbi team. Watch S4C’s coverage of Edinburgh v Dragons from 7.25pm on Saturday, plus a full match replay of Scarlets v Ospreys from 9.45pm on Saturday night. English commentary available.
READ NEXT:
What to expect from each Welsh region this season as they should and must do better
Dallaglio and English media get excited after Welsh giant's 'coming-of-age' game
Louis Rees-Zammit's try was more special than people thought as issues emerge
Wales legend Scott Quinnell's emotion-charged dressing room speech leaves viewers floored
Rugby legend reveals real reason he kept his hands in pockets when meeting the Queen
