**While the 2019/20 season is finally in the rearview mirror for our Guinness PRO14 teams, thoughts have already turned to the new campaign just around the corner.** And we start today’s Media Watch in Ireland, where both Leinster and Ulster are still reflecting on their defeats in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals at the weekend. Ulster captain Iain Henderson believes [the province should take encouragement from the season they have had](http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54226818) despite coming up short in domestic and European competition. “It feels as though we're progressing in the right direction,” he said. “Our training's getting better, for a lot of the season our performances were getting better, we are getting closer. “In my time at Ulster, we're the closest we've ever been to the coaches. “What we put together for the start of last season, to get us where we were playing in those first six Champions Cup games, getting us to knockout rugby, we can't forget that.” Leo Cullen, meanwhile, was left wondering whether Leinster’s Guinness PRO14 Final victory over Ulster [potentially made his team complacent before their defeat to Saracens](http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2020/0921/1166585-leinsters-fate-familia-when-irish-collide-with-english/). “Off the back of winning the final last week, does it take away a little bit of that edge off us versus that edge that they have because they know it’s their sole focus?” he said. “So does winning a final lead to a little bit of complacency?” In Scotland, Edinburgh were also reviewing a season of ups and downs which culminated in a Semi-Final defeat to Ulster in the Guinness PRO14 and a quarter-final exit in Europe. Damien Hoyland scored the only try for Richard Cockerill’s side in the defeat to Bordeaux in the Challenge Cup and [insists that the team are making progress](http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18734629.damien-hoyland-sees-positives-edinburgh-rugby-fall-short/). “The thing we can take from this, and we took it from [Ulster], is that we are on the up,” he said. “From these two games, there are a lot of things we’re going to be better at. “And going into next season we’ll be gunning for it, and we know what works. That was 100 per cent one of the toughest games I’ve been involved in because of the heat.” Elsewhere, Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan is [feeling very positive about a season of progress](http://www.wru.wales/2020/09/ryan-dragons-heading-in-right-direction/) at Rodney Parade with the new domestic campaign on the horizon. “We are happy with the steps we have taken,” he said. “We have got more selection headaches and a lot more depth. Some of our youngsters are coming through and that progress is crucial.” Meanwhile, [Wales Online](http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-rugbys-winners-losers-dragons-18963700) have looked at the winners and losers following the weekend’s European action, with Scarlets full-back Leigh Halfpenny among those who impressed. Callum Sheedy also gets a mention for his performance for Bristol Bears against the Dragons, whose winger Ashton Hewitt gets an honourable mention for his fine try. Finally, Ospreys playmaker Gareth Anscombe and wife Milica have welcomed a baby girl, taking to social media to [announce the arrival of Teifi Mia Anscombe](http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/gareth-anscombe-ospreys-wales-milica-18967398 ).
