Fullback Ricky Williams, replacement fly-half Aled Thomas and forwards Duane Goodfield and Phil Osborne all played in last season’s Under-19 World Cup in France when Wales finished seventh.
Although half of the 28-strong squad are eligible for Senior Schools selection, only replacement prop Ian Jones played against Scotland last month, while scrum-half Dan Walsh, forwards Will Waldron, Alun Wyn Jones and Alex Murphy and wing Chris Czekaj all appeared in the Schools’ final match of last season against England, also at Ebbw Vale.
Many of the squad have already appeared in senior Premier Division sides this season and almost all are in the Under-21 Provincial squads, with Williams a regular at Llandovery. Lock Dominic Day is a Wales junior hammer-throwing international.
Coaches Dai Rees (Cross Keys) and Gareth Nicholas (Tondu) will give all their squad a run-out in the Italy and Scotland (Feb 20 at Aberavon) matches before finalising their team to meet Ireland (Feb 20 at Cork), France (Mar 5 at Neath) and England (Mar 12 at orley RFC) and later going to the FIRA World Cup in South Africa.
Team: Ricky Williams (Llandovery); Matthew Jeffrey, Andrew Bishop (both Bridgend), Tom Riley (Pontypridd), Chris Czekaj (St David’s Coll); David Flanagan (Pontypridd, capt), Dan Walsh (St David’s Coll); Nathan Trevett (Cardiff), Duane Goodfield (Pontypridd), Phil Osborne (Cardiff), Alun Wyn Jones (Llandovery), Dominic Day (Carmarthen Quins), Will Waldron (Hartbury Coll & Exiles), Tom Smith (Neath Coll), Rhys Shellard (Pontypridd/Abercynon). Replacements: Nicky Griffiths (Wasps & Exiles), Aled Thomas (Carmarthen Quins), Ed Shervington (Hartbury Coll & Exiles), Craig Mitchell (Neath Coll), Ian Jones (Strade Coll), Alex Murphy
(Pontypridd), Justin Benfield (St David’s Coll).
