Aled Davies has admitted derbies are the fixtures players circle as soon as the season starts, with the Cardiff scrum-half relishing the prospect of Friday night’s East v West clash against Scarlets at the Arms Park.

Cardiff host their West Wales rivals as part of a three-game home block, and Davies believes the occasion – and the opportunity it presents – could prove pivotal to the Blue & Blacks’ season.

“Derbies are great,” he said. “At the start of the season, they’re the games you look forward to. We can’t wait to compete on Friday night. Three derbies as well is a real treat. It’s nice to be home for a couple of weeks, especially with Scarlets down here. Hopefully it’ll be a full house.”

Cardiff enter the contest sitting second in the URC table and Davies was clear about the significance of the coming weeks, even if derby form can often defy league positions.

“We’re in a great position in the league and we’re targeting this block now,” he explained. “It’s huge for us. We could cement ourselves in second after these three games, which is important for finishing in the top eight. But in derbies, form goes out the window. We’ll have to do the nitty-gritty bits right, while still showing our quality.”

For Davies, the fixture carries added personal significance. A former Scarlets academy product, the 32-year-old knows better than most what the rivalry means on both sides of the nation.

“I’ve played here for Scarlets as well,” he reflected. “I’ve been on the losing side in this fixture, so we’ll see how it goes now. The west side will be a loud bunch and it should make a real atmosphere.” 

Cardiff will also be looking to put right a recent record against their rivals, with home victories in the derby proving hard to come by in recent years.

“Our record hasn’t been great – I’m not sure if we’ve beaten them here since 2019 – so that’s something we really need to change. Hopefully that’s Friday night.”

Beyond the rivalry, Davies believes Cardiff’s growth as a group is beginning to show, particularly in tight moments. He pointed to the culture being built within the squad and the trust that has developed during pressure situations.

“We’ve got a really good group here,” he said. “Everyone’s driving each other and it shows on the field. We trust one another and that’s shown over the last few weeks in tight games. When things aren’t going our way, the togetherness and camaraderie in the group has been excellent.”

That sense of progress is something Davies has felt since arriving at the Arms Park, with the scrum-half suggesting the rebuilding phase is now giving way to something more tangible.

“When I came here, it felt like we were rebuilding again,” he said. “We’ve definitely built something now and there’s something happening here, which is exciting. We just need to keep that going.”

With Cardiff currently setting the pace among the Welsh regions, Davies expects Scarlets to arrive in the capital determined to disrupt that momentum.

“We’re probably the team to beat in Wales at the minute,” he said. “We’re second in the league and setting the tone, so they’ll come here all guns blazing. They’ve had a good couple of weeks and found some form – it’s going to be a really tough task.”

Looking longer term, Davies acknowledged the importance of pushing beyond the traditional top-eight target, with Cardiff eyeing home knockout rugby later in the season.

“These next few weeks are massive for us,” he said. “We talk about top eight, but it could be top four – it’s in our hands. We take it week by week, stick to our processes and hopefully that’s enough.”