The Welsh side, which will be named early next week, will kick-off against South Africa Schools on Friday, 10 August, hoping to repeat the famous 30-28 victory recorded in last year’s tournament when Dragons back row man Lennon Greggains scored two tries and Ospreys outside half Cai Evans kicked 20 points.
Both players went on to play for their regional sides last season and for Wales Under 20, just as a number of their colleagues did as the Class of 2017 graduated with honours. After beating SA Schools, Wales went on to beat England for the second time in the year (14-12) before falling at the final hurdle against France (31-19).
No fewer than 11 of the squad who played in South Africa last August went on to play for Wales Under 20 at the World Rugby U20 Championship in France, proving the pathway to the top of the game is working well.
Wales hosted an Under 18 version of the Six Nations at the end of last season and beat Ireland 36-28, Italy 27-18 and lost to France 22-14.The previous month they beat Scotland 32-30 and lost 42-14 to England at Sardis Road.
Aon U18 International Series
(all kick-off times BST)
Friday, 10 August (at Boland Landbou)
1.15pm – England v France
3.00pm – SA Schools v Wales
Tuesday, 14 August (at Stellenberg)
1.15pm – Wales v England
3.00pm – SA Schools v France
Saturday, 18 August (at SACS)
11.15am – France v Wales
1.05pm – SA Schools v England
Wales U18 Squad in South Africa in 2017
* Players in Bold played in the 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship
Cardiff Blues: Joe Miles, Ben Thomas, Ben WarrenÂ
WRU Exiles: Ben Fry (Hartpury), Callum Morris (Lymm College), Morgan Nelson (Gloucester), Tommy Reffell (Leicester)Â
Dragons: Lennon Greggains, Will Griffiths, Tom Hoppe, Josh Reynolds, Taine Basham
Ospreys: Callum Carson, Cai Evans, Harri Morgan, Dylan Moss, Jordan Walters, Dewi Cross
Scarlets: Dan Davis, Rhys Davies, Lewis Ellis-Jones, Llyr Green, Morgan Jones, Tommi Lewis, Thomas Rogers, Joe Roberts
Previous Wales U18 squads in South Africa
* Players in bold are now full internationals
2016
Backs: Jared Rosser (Dragons), Will Talbot Davies (Dragons), Corey Baldwin (Scarlets), Joe Goodchild (Dragons), Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Blues), Dylan Moss (Ospreys), Cameron Lewis (Blues), Ben Jones (Blues), Phil Jones (Ospreys), Owain Leonard (Dragons), Dane Blacker (Blues)
Forwards: Rhys Carre (Blues), Connor Lewis (Blues), Harri Dobbs (Blues), Tom Mably (Blues), Jordan Liney (Ospreys), Corrie Tarrant (Blues), Chris Coleman (Dragons), Callum Bradbury (Blues), Will Griffiths (Ospreys), James Ratti (Ospreys), Max Williams (Dragons), Will Jones (Ospreys), James Botham (Blues), Joe Thomas (Dragons), Morgan Morris (Gloucester)
2015
Backs: Efan Jones (RGC), Matthew Aubrey (Ospreys), Rhun Williams (RGC), Kieran Williams (Ospreys), Connor Edwards (Dragons), Teri Morgan-Gee (Blues), Callum Hall (Blues), Billy McBryde (Scarlets), Danny Cross (RGC ), Ianto Parry (RGC), Josh Hodson (Dragons)
Forwards: Kieron Assirrati (Blues), Steff Thomas (Scarlets), Gerwyn Coleman (Blues), Rhys Fawcett (Scarlets), Leon Brown (Dragons), Corey Domachowski (Blues), Ellis Shipp (Dragons), Callum Bradbury (Blues), Shane Lewis Hughes (Blues), Aled Ward (Blues), Morgan Sieniawski (Blues), Calum Haggett (Blues), Josh Macleod (Scarlets), Shaun Evans (Scarlets), Bryce Morgan (Dragons)
2014
Backs: Matthew Aubrey (Ospreys), Michael Hale (Blues), Dan Jones (Scarlets), Luke Price (Ospreys), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Joe Gage (Ospreys), James Whittingham (Blues), Shaun Pearce (Scarlets), Elis-Wyn Benham (Coleg y Cymoedd), Jordan Roberts (Scarlets), Morgan Williams (RGC)
Forwards: Kieron Assirratti (Blues), Robert Lewis (Blues), Harrison Walsh (Ospreys), Keagan Bale (Dragons), Liam Belcher (Blues), Dafydd Hughes (Scarlets), Joe Jones (Blues), Matthew Dodd (Ospreys), Seb Davies (Blues), Calum Haggett (Blues), Tom Phillips (Scarlets), Harrison Keddie (Dragons), Shaun Evans (Scarlets), Jon Fox (Ospreys), Josh Middleton (Scarlets / Coleg Sir Gar / Kidwelly)
2013
Backs: Steff Evans (Scarlets), Ashton Hewitt (Dragons), Aled Summerhill (Cardiff Blues), Garyn Smith (Cardiff Blues), Josh Adams (Scarlets), Angus O’Brien ( Dragons), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Luke Price (Ospreys), Joe Thomas (Ospreys), Dan Jones (Scarlets), Dan Brooks (Ospreys), Tyler Morgan (Dragons).
Forwards: Keagan Bale(Dragons), Torin Myhill (Scarlets), Alex Jeffreys (Dragons), Josh Helps (Scarlets), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Tom Phillips (Scarlets), Ollie Griffiths (Dragons), Jordan Collier (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Leon Crump (Cardiff Blues), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Jon Fox (Ospreys), Oliver Hitchings (Cardiff Blues), Luke Garrett (Dragons)
2012
Backs: Connor Lloyd (Scarlets), Joel Raikes (Blues), Jack Maynard (Scarlets), Ryan Evans (Ospreys), Craig Woodall (Scarlets), Steffan Hughes (Scarlets), Ben Roberts (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Ashley Evans (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (Dragons), Dion Jones (Scarlets)
Forwards: Callum Lewis (Blues), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Nicky Thomas (Ospreys), Jack Dunning (Blues), Alex Jeffries (Dragons), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Thomas Ball (Scarlets), Ethan Lewis (Blues), Josh Helps (Scarlets), Lance Randell (Dragons), James Sheeky (Blues), Scott Matthews (Dragons), Sion Bennett (Scarlets), Joe Tomlin-Reeves (Ospreys), James Benjamin (Dragons), Benjamin Roach (Blues)
Wales Under 18 in South Africa – P18 W7 D2 L9
August 2017
Wales U18 30 – 28 SA Schools
Wales U18 14 – 12 England U18
Wales U18 19 – 31 France U18
August 2016
Wales U18 17 – 23 SA Schools
Wales U18 41 – 15 Italy U18
Wales U18 18 – 17 SA Schools A
August 2015
SA Schools 42 – 11 Wales U18
Italy U18 10 – 32 Wales U18
SA Schools A 20 – 20 Wales U18
August 2014
Wales U18 21 – 24 England U18
Wales U18 15 – 40 SA Schools
Wales U18 10 – 9 France U18
August 2013
Wales U18 47 – 8 France U18
Wales U18 15 – 17 England U18
Wales U18 13 – 14 South Africa U18
August 2012
Wales U18 25 – 28 England U18
Wales U18 6 – 24 SA Schools
Wales U18 13 – 13 France U18
