Wales have named their squad for the forthcoming World Rugby U20 Championships in South Africa.
Head Coach Richard Whiffin has named a 30 man squad, which will be led by Dragons back row Ryan Woodman, who sadly missed the U20 Six Nations campaign due to injury, and features a number of U18 players as well.
All bar two of the squad have prior U20 experience, except brothers Ioan and Steffan Emanuel, both at Bath RFC, with elder brother Ioan, a loosehead prop, part of the senior academy and younger brother Steffan, a centre, still currently at Millfield School. Aside from those two and Woodman, only hooker Isaac Young did not feature in the Six Nations campaign.
The Emanuel brothers will be in familiar company, with two other Bath youngsters in the squad, former Hartpury College star Louie Hennessey, whom Steffan may line up in the midfield alongside, and their former Millfield teammate Ieuan Davies, an exciting scrum half.
They are not the only youngsters playing their rugby east of the Severn to make the cut, two young Leicester Tigers are also part of the pack, Osian Thomas and Harry Beddall, as well as Sale Sharks and Kirkham Grammar School star Will Austin, the former Seaford College lock Jonny Green, now at Harlequins, and Bristol Bears due Sam Scott and Aidan Boshoff, Boshoff is still at at school at Clifton College.
Among those playing their rugby in Wales to look out for is Ospreys back rower Morgan Morse, a player who impressed immensely at U18 level and could be set for a huge U20s campaign.
Speaking at the announcement of the squad, Richard Whiffin said: “Yesterday was a tough day, telling players who have worked incredibly hard that they haven’t made the plane, there were obviously some tough conversations but to be fair they’ve reacted well and the group have got tight around them and picked them up. But that is the nature of the job.”
“We have got power throughout the team with genuine athletes in all areas of the field, the way we want to play is to move the ball and express ourselves in the wider channels – hopefully we have a team who can be competitive in what is an extremely competitive pool.”
On the return of his skipper Ryan Woodman, Whiffin said: “He has had a massive impact in the two weeks he has been in with us. He has come back in, in very good nick after his injury-forced absence. His physicality now will be a key addition to the squad but not only that, his calmness around the group is also a positive effect. He is a natural leader and the players look up to him.”
Wales’ campaign begins on Saturday 29th June against New Zealand, before fixtures against Spain and France on the 4th and 9th July respectively.
Wales World Rugby U20 Championship Squad:
Forwards
Jordan Morris (Dragons)
Josh Morse (Scarlets)
Ioan Emanuel (Bath)
Harry Thomas (Scarlets)
Isaac Young (Scarlets)
Will Austin (Sale Sharks)
Kian Hire (Ospreys)
Sam Scott (Bristol)
Jonny Green (Harlequins)
Nick Thomas (Dragons)
Osian Thomas (Leicester Tigers)
Ryan Woodman (Dragons, captain)
Lucas de la Rua (Cardiff)
Harry Beddall (Leicester Tigers)
Morgan Morse (Ospreys)
Owen Conquer (Dragons)
Backs
Ieuan Davies (Bath)
Rhodri Lewis (Opsreys)
Lucca Setaro (Scarlets)
Harri Wilde (Cardiff)
Harri Ford (Dragons)
Macs Page (Scarlets)
Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff)
Louie Hennessey (Bath)
Elijah Evans (Cardiff)
Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears)
Harry Rees-Weldon (Dragons)
Kodie Stone (Cardiff RFC)
Huw Anderson (Dragons)
Matty Young (Cardiff)
Wales World Rugby U20 Championship Pool Fixtures:
Saturday 29 June, Wales v New Zealand, Athlone Sports Stadium, 6pm
Thursday 4 July, Wales v Spain, Athlone Sports Stadium, 1pm
Tuesday 9 July, Wales v France, Athlone Sports Stadium, 3.30pm
