Four members of last season’s Junior World Championship Under 20 squad are included in the 43 – Dragons outside half Jason Tovey, Glamorgan Wanderers prop Scott Andrews, Cross Keys lock Ashley Sweet and Aberavon backrow Justin Tipuric, while Bridgend no 8 Rory Pitman was a member of last season’s Under 20 Six Nations squad.
Four players have professional regional experience – Ospreys teenagers Ashley Beck and Kristian Phillips, together with last season’s Principality Premiership Best Newcomer Jason Tovey and fellow Dragon, prop Aaron Coundley.
Three players, scrum half Lloyd Williams, lock Joel Galley and hooker Ricky Guest have been ruled out of the Under 20 Six Nations through long term injury, but could potentially play their way back into contention ahead of this season’s Junior World Championship in Japan.
Phil Davies and his Under 20 team management have carried out a series of squad sessions with each of the Regional Under 20 squads this season, in order to increase intensity and with a particular focus on the contact area. These sessions will continue, while the training squad will get together for a national session next Wednesday 26 November. The coaching team will continue to monitor the performance of players at Principality Premiership and SWALEC League matches before reducing the squad to 26 plus eight reserves on January 5 2009.
Davies said, “As a management team, we entered into the selection process with open minds and believe we have left no stone unturned at this point in time. A lot of the eligible players wouldn’t have played international age grade rugby last year, so it’s been a case of watching as much rugby as possible and seeing how players react to training.
“Between us, we have watched all of the WRU Regional Under 20 games which have been extremely useful from an identification, development and selection point of view. We have also watched a number of high quality Principality Premiership fixtures and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received from the Premiership clubs and the WRU regional performance development managers.
“The players themselves have responded excellently at the regional sessions we have held so far and those sessions have enabled us to get across some of our key messages which will hopefully help when it comes to stepping up to the international environment and competition.”Â
Wales Under 20 training squad:
Backs:
James Loxton (Blues academy /Glamorgan Wanderers), Jamie Murphy (Bridgend), Daniel Newton (Llanelli), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys / Neath), Ryan Healy (Glamorgan Wanderers), Ieuan Coombs (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Ryan Bayliss (Ospreys academy/ Tonmawr), Ashley Beck (Ospreys/Aberavon), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Matthew Pewtner (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), Dean Gunter (Abercynon), Scott Williams (Scarlets academy), Jason Tovey (Dragons), Dai Langdon (Dragons academy), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy / Neath), Daniel Etteridge (Llanelli), Rhys Downes (Blues academy), Gareth Davies (Scarlets academy), James Leadbetter (Cross Keys), Tavis Knoyle (Neath)
Forwards:
Aaron Coundley (Dragons academy/ Ebbw Vale), Scott Andrews (Blues/Glamorgan Wanderers), Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Simon Gardner (Scarlets Academy), Stuart Maguire (Dragons academy/ Pontypool), Owain Evans (Llandovery), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy / Newbridge), Craig Fillier (Blaina), James King (Ospreys academy/ Aberavon), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy/ Cross Keys), Sam Paylor (Pontypool), Lee Bray (Newbridge), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys academy/ Aberavon), Rhys Jenkins (Dragons academy/ Ebbw Vale), Kristian Dacey (Pontypridd), Jake Thomas (Blues academy/ Cardiff), Sam Williams (Bridgend), Morgan Allen (Bedwas), Rhys Ruddock (Millfield), Josh Navidi (Glamorgan Wanderers), Rory Pitman (Ospreys academy/Bridgend), James Thomas (Dragons academy /Ebbw Vale).
