Wales have named their side to take on South Africa A at Paarl Gymnasium tomorrow at 12pm.
Having lost out 23-13 to South Africa Schools on Friday, Wales will be eager to bounce back against the ‘A’ side, who went down 43-19 to France in their opener, England losing 29-19 to Argentina in the other game.
There are three players based at English schools in the Welsh starting fifteen, Millfield’s Dan John moving from full back to wing for this one, with Tom Mathews of Hartpury College at inside centre, and Eastbourne College’s Theo Bevacqua again at loosehead. There are a further three on the bench, with John’s Millfield teammate Oliver Burrows joined by Marlborough College’s Archie ,Griffin and Newcastle-Under-Lyme School’s Peter Vickers.
John and Bevacqua are two of just five players to start this game and the defeat to South Africa Schools, Bro Morgannwg’s Mason Grady, Tredegar’s Ollie Howard, and Whitchurch High School’s Christ Tshiunza, who plays at Exeter Chiefs, being the others.
With Burrows on the bench for this game, second row Ben Carter of the Dragons takes over the captaincy against South Africa A.
Ahead of the game Head Coach Chris Horsman spoke to www.wru.wales saying:
“The good thing for me was that every player came off the field on Friday actually starting to show and demonstrate their potential which is what the trip is all about, we were obviously disappointed with the result, but in terms of performance I thought the boys fronted up excellently – for a group of 16 and 17-year-olds I thought we were physically outstanding, and I thought we played all the rugby in the game.”
“Tomorrow’s game is the next step in the journey for this young group and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can achieve against a very strong side.”
Wales U18 XV:
15 Jake Morgan (Dragons/Lewis Pengam), 14 Mason Grady (Cardiff Blues/Glantaf/Bro Morgannwg), 13 Bradley Roderick (Ospreys/Neath/Port Talbot College), 12 Tom Mathews (Northampton Saints/Exiles/Hartpury College), 11 Dan John (Exiles/Millfield), 10 Ben Burnell (Cardiff Blues/Coleg y Cymoedd), 9 Luke Davies (Scarlets/Coleg Sir Gar), 1 Theo Bevacqua (Harlequins/Exiles/Eastbourne College), 2 Rhodri King (Scarlets/Coleg Sir Gar), 3 Lewys Jones (Ospreys/Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera), 4 Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs/Exiles/Whitchurch HS), 5 Ben Carter (Dragons/Caldicot, captain), 6 Travis Huntley (Ospreys/Bridgend College), 7 Ollie Howard (Dragons/Tredegar), 8 Rhys Thomas (Ospreys/Neath/Port Talbot College).
Replacements: 16 Oliver Burrows (Ospreys/Millfield), 17 Kieran Stevens (Ospreys/Bridgend College), 18 Archie Griffin (Bath/Exiles/Marlborough College), 19 James Fender (Ospreys/Neath/Port Talbot College), 20 Peter Vickers (Wasps/Exiles/Newcastle-Under-Lyme), 21 Alex Mann (Cardiff Blues/Coleg y Cymoedd), 22 Joe Hawkins (Ospreys/Neath/Port Talbot College), 23 Ethan Lloyd (Cardiff Blues/Ysgol Cwm Rhondda), 24 Carrick McDonough (Dragons/Cross Keys College), 25 Jake Thomas (Cardiff Blues/Cowbridge HS), 26 Morgan Richards (Dragons/Newport HS).
