Rugby is obviously very much a family thing in the Ospreys region with three sons of famous Grand Slam winning fathers seeking to follow in the footsteps of their illustrious parents.
Having won the prestigious WRU Academies U18 Championship for the past two seasons, beating Cardiff Rugby in successive finals, the Ospreys will boast some strong lineage in their squad to defend their title this season as they attempt a three-peat.
They kick off their defence against the Scarlets in a classic West Wales derby at The Gnoll on Sunday 16 August. A week later they head to the Welsh capital to take on Cardiff in a repeat of the last two finals.
Watching proceedings from the touchline will be former Grand Slam skipper Ryan Jones, whose son Jacob is one of the locks, current Wales scrum coach Paul James, who has youngest son Mason among the loose heads, and James Hook, whose son Harrison is an outside half.
All the teenagers are chips off the old block given they play in the same positions as their fathers. Mason James is not only treading in his father’s shoes but also following elder brother Dylan who played for Wales U20 at prop in the recent World Rugby Junior Championships.
James Hook and Paul James were both coaches in ther victories o ver the past two season. Other players with strong family connections are tight head prop Lewis Morse, brother of Wales back row man Morgan, while hooker Jonah Ratti is a cousin of another Ospreys international, James.
In recent seasons the Ospreys have had Nick Fisk-Jones at scrum half. He is the son of former Swansea and Wales skipper, Robert.
Ospreys Squad for WRU Academies U18 Championship
LH Props: Mason James, Ashton Maybank, Xavier Howells, Charlie Noaks
Hookers: Bobbie Bennett, Grayson Lewis-Whelan, Jonah Ratti
TH Props: Charlie O’Brien, Jayden Underhill, Lewis Morse, Ellis Matthews
Locks: Will Carroll, Jacob Jones, Joel Wallace
Back Rowers: Harrison Watkin, Finn Lewis, Evan Trott, Ronan Hire, Austin Howells, Tobi Baldoni
Scrum Halves: Aled Evans, Codey Tymkiv, Will Kerslake
Fly Halves: Cai Davies, Harrison Hook
Centres: Zac Mizen, Max Carman, Oliver Hopkins, Ioan Price
Wings: Kayden Brooke, Jaidyn Ryan-Young, Ashton Crook, Ethan Davies
Full Backs: Dylan Quin, Joe Bailey, Jenson Phillips
WRU REGIONAL ACADEMY U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS – PHASE 1
Round 1 – Sunday 16 August
DRAGONS v CARDIFF – Ystrad Mynach 2.30 pm
OSPREYS v SCARLETS – The Gnoll 2.30 pm
BYE: RGC
Round 2 – Sunday 23 August
SCARLETS v RGC – Llandovery 2.30 pm
CARDIFF v OSPREYS – Arms Park 2.30 pm
BYE: Dragons
Round 3 – Sunday 30 August
RGC v CARDIFF – Parc Eirias 2.30 pm
OSPREYS v DRAGONS – The Gnoll 2.30 pm
BYE: Scarlets
Round 4 – Sunday 6 September
DRAGONS v RGC – Ystrad Mynach 2.30 pm
CARDIFF v SCARLETS – Arms Park 2.30 pm
BYE: Ospreys
Round 5 – Sunday 13 September
RGC v OSPREYS – Parc Eirias 2.30 pm
SCARLETS v DRAGONS – Llandovery 2.30 pm
BYE: Cardiff
FINALS -Thursday 4 February