Jac Pritchard had to bide his time in the Wales U20 squad last season as he found his path blocked by Sam Scott and Owain James.
But his inclusion was all about blooding him for this year’s Six Nations and World Rugby Championship campaigns. To date it looks as though head coach Richard Whiffin’s plan is working well.
The Scarlets academy tight head has become the cornerstone of a Welsh pack that has proved itself capable of matching England and France and goes into another mighty challenge against Ireland in Cork on Saturday (7 March – 7.45pm).
There was a time when Welsh packs at age grade levels were considered to be on the small side, but there is certainly plenty of beef up front this season. Pritchard is one of three tight head props who tip the scales at 120kgs or more.
Pritchard is 120 (18st 12lbs), and the shortest at 5ft 11in, then comes Exeter Chiefs’ Isaac Godfrey at 6ft 1in tall and weighing in at 125kg (19st 9lbs) and finally Pritchard’s Scarlets teammate Yestyn Cook, who stands 6ft 4in and weighs 133 kgs (20st 13lbs).
Add in two loose head props, Dylan James and George Tuckley, who are 6ft 1in and 114 kgs (17st 13lbs) and an 18-year-old hooker in Tom Howe who is 6ft 3in and 109kgs (17st 2lbs), and the size of the Welsh pack starts to build.
To back up his solid front row platform Whiffin has Osian J Williams (109kgs) and Oscar Rees (118kgs), both 6ft 8in tall, and Luke Evans (118kgs) and Tom Cottle (114kgs) who are both 6ft 6in.
Pritchard has followed his elder brother and fellow prop Tom into the Wales U20 set up and both are able to put down their natural strength to working on the family farm in Llandybie.
Jac played his junior rugby for Llandybie and then Llandeilo, was a pupil at Ysgol Bro Dinefwr and then moved on to do his sixth form studies at Coleg Sir Gar. Next stop is the Scarlets front row and a tilt at a senior cap.
“Working on the farm is a different type of training from gym training. It has shaped me as a player and a person,” said the 19-year-old Pritchard.
“I live on what is a dairy farm, so I help out with milking, feeding the calves, cleaning and maintenance. I do as much as I can to help out and I’ve been lucky that my family understand and they’ve sacrificed a lot for me.
“They’ve worked early mornings and late nights just to help me get to training, especially when I was little. I’m really glad to have that background.
“There are tough jobs to do, especially in the heat. It does give me an edge because I’ve done different training other people might not have done in their lives. It’s pushed me harder.
“As a player, I feel it’s important to have a background I can be proud of. I feel privileged to wear the Welsh jersey and to represent the farm.”
He has further honed his skills with games for Cardiff Met, Narberth and Llandovery in Super Rygbi Cymru this season and now wants to be part of a statement victory over the Irish in Round 4 of the U20 Six Nations.
Wales U20 haven’t won on Irish soil since 2018 and were forced to put in 233 tackles last year to beat them 20-12. After those narrow defeats to England and France, Pritchard and co are looking to build on the 31-21 triumph over Scotland in the last round.
“Going into every game you want to be better than your opposite pack. My bread and butter is the scrum, it’s my point of difference,” added Pritchard.
“We’ve looked at Ireland, who have a good pack and a good scrum, and when they get a chance, they do dominate. It’s the same at lineout time.
“Playing away from home is always tough but we are a tight group on and off the pitch, which helps when you know they are going to be feisty and fierce at home. We need to stick together on the pitch no matter where we play.”