Wales just picked a 17-year-old schoolboy for the U20s because he's so good
Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been promoted from the U18s ahead of Wales U20s' World Rugby Championship this summer
Carwyn Leggatt-Jones kicks a drop-goal for Llandovery College
(Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency )
Talented youngster Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been included in a 45-man training squad ahead of Wales U20s' World Rugby Championship campaign later this summer.
The Scarlets fly-half was playing for Wales U18s in April, having first played at that level while at the age of 16. He will now spend the coming weeks training with Richard Whiffin's squad as he tries to force his way into the 30-man group for the tournament in Italy. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
The highly-rated fly-half has played a key part in Llandovery College's back-to-back WSC titles in the last two years - putting in player of the match performances in both finals at the Principality Stadium - while he was also named in the team of the tournament following this year's U18s Six Nations Festival in France.
Another of the three Welshmen named in that team, U18s captain Cerrig Smith, is also included in Whiffin's wider training squad - which are due to meet up to begin training this month.
There's no place for Morgan Morse, after the Ospreys No. 8 also missed out on Wales' senior tour to Japan in July.
'This 45-man training squad is a mixture of guys that did really well during the Six Nations for us and then the U18s and U19s had a really good block post Six Nations – the U18s went and won all three games out in Vichy and there's a number of those guys that stepped up," said Whiffin.
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'You also have the culmination of Super Rygbi Cymru - there's boys that have been putting their hand up in the last few weeks in that competition and it gives us an opportunity to put a bit of pressure on the guys that had the jersey in the Six Nations and also prepare for what guys might step up next year.
'The next few weeks are going to be really important for the boys. We've put a big focus on our individual skills and individual development.
'They'll be working incredibly hard physically and we've set a mantra for the boys to improve the individual, improve the team.
'We want everyone to come out of this development block, be it whether they get on the plane or not a better player. So there'll be some tough work for them and it'll be fun. But there will be a big focus on being better players at the end of it."
As well as naming the wider squad, Wales also confirmed they will take on England in Pontypool in June to warm up for the tournament.
Having defeated the current world champions on a memorable night at the Arms Park during the Six Nations, they will face them again at Pontypool Park on Friday June 6.
The following week, they will take on Italy at the Arms Park to continue their preparations for the tournament.
On the two preparation matches Whiffin added: 'Our prep's going to be important and those two games against England and Italy will give us a great indication of where we are. We're playing against the world champions in one prep and it'll be a tough game against Italy as well.
'We're going to use the England game as a selection tool and that will drop us down to our 30 player squad for the World Cup and then the Italy game will be our last opportunity to prepare before we get out to Italy for the tournament and face Argentina.'
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Wales will face Argentina, France and Spain in their pool matches in the tournament, which runs from June 29 to July 19.
Wales training squad for 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship
Forwards (25): Dylan Alford (Scarlets /RGC), Harry Beddall (Dragons RFC), Jake Bowen (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (RGC), Ioan Emanuel (Bath Rugby), Keanu Evans (Scarlets), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Will Evans (Scarlets), Dan Gemine (Ospreys), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester Rugby), Saul Hurley (Aberavon), Caio James (Gloucester Rugby), Owain James (Dragons RFC), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Ryan Jones (Dragons RFC), Evan Minto (Dragons RFC), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Sam Scott (Bristol Bears), Cerrig Smith (Dragons RFC), Harry Thomas (Scarlets), Nick Thomas (Dragons RFC), Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears), George Tuckley (Dragons RFC), Cameron Tyler-Grocott (Cardiff Rugby), Evan Wood (Pontypool / Cardiff Met)
Backs (20): Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears), Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby), Rhys Cummings (Cardiff Rugby), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby), Ioan Duggan (Dragons RFC), Lewis Edwards (Ospreys), Steff Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby), Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Harri Ford (Dragons RFC), Logan Franklin (Dragons RFC), Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets) Ellis Lewis (Neath), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), Elis Price (Scarlets), Harry Rees-Weldon (Dragons RFC), Osian Roberts (Sale Sharks), Dylan Scott (Cardiff MET), Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby), Jack Woods (Bath Rugby)
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