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Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales announce strongest squad in years as young talent returns for huge summer
Wales announce strongest squad in years as young talent returns for huge summer Wales U20s head out to Italy this summer for the World Championships Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin (left) with outside-half Harri Wilde (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency ) Richard Whiffin has named the strongest Wales U20s squad for years to compete in this summer's World Rugby U20s Championship. Wales have been drawn in a tough pool alongside Argentina U20s, France U20s and Spain U20s but there is every reason to believe they can be very competitive in Italy this summer. Whiffin's side impressed during the U20s Six Nations with victories over Italy, Ireland and world champions England. Outstanding openside flanker Harry Beddall retains the captaincy, while they have also been boosted by the return of powerful Dragons second-row Nick Thomas who missed most of the Six Nations through injury. There are 10 players based outside of Wales in the squad, including Exeter Chiefs lock Luke Evans who recently changed his allegiance from England to the men in red. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The likes of Cardiff wing Tom Bowen, Bristol Bears speedster Aidan Boshoff, centre Steffan Emanuel, props Ioan Emanuel and Sam Scott, along with Scarlets hooker Harry Thomas, are just a few players to watch out for. Wales warmed up for the tournament with a defeat to England at Pontypool Park and a comfortable victory over Italy at the Arms Park. Article continues below 'I think it is a very balanced squad with some quality experience returning from last year and some added emphasis from guys who have performed well during the Six Nations,' said Whiffin. 'We've got a pack that we feel can really deliver at the World Cup and look to be dominant at both the scrum and line-out and as a team we fully understand how we want to play. "We've got some fantastic workrate in our outside backs that will not only get the ball back for us but be a real threat when we've got the ball. 'I think we've seen over the course of the Six Nations and these warm-up games we've got a set of backs that will put us in the right areas of the field and be smart with how we want to play.' Whiffin used more than 40 players in the two warm-up games against world champions England and Italy before finalising his squad for the global tournament where his side start their Pool B fixtures against Argentina before facing France and Spain. 'Those games allowed us to challenge ourselves in different areas,' explained Whiffin. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "The England game at Pontypool was always going to be tough on the back of what was a really tough training week and then to challenge ourselves against the world champs was brilliant. 'I thought it cemented a few thoughts in our heads - 14-14 at 60 minutes I thought we had competed well and then we had a very polished performance against Italy - the fact we managed to get 40-plus players game-time over those two games gave the coaches and myself the ammunition we needed to pick the squad. 'We're excited about the championship but we still have a week's training ahead of us before we get on the plane for Italy but we've done the hard work in terms of whittling down what was a really strong training squad to the 30 selected." But Wales have been dealt a blow with talented scrum-half Logan Franklin and wing Harry Rees-Weldon ruled out of the tournament through injury. Neath scrum-half Ellis Lewis is the only uncapped player in the squad. 'I think the pleasing thing is the boys are confident and they know they can go out there and compete with so called top teams in the competition and we're not afraid," said Whiffin. "We're going out there saying we want to get into that top semi-final bracket and once you get into that bracket you never know what's going to happen. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. 'It means we'll need to play well and back those performances up but the boys are confident and we were close last year but didn't get over the line – I think we've proved in the Six nations we can knock over some of those tighter games so hopefully we can see that in the World Cup." Article continues below Wales U20s squad: Ioan Emanuel (Bath), Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears), Harry Thomas (Scarlets), Saul Hurley (Aberavon), Evan Wood (Pontypool), Sam Scott (Bristol Bears), Owain James (Dragons), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Nick Thomas (Dragons), Tom Cottle (Cardiff), Dan Gemine (Ospreys), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester), Harry Beddall (Dragons - Captain), Caio James (Gloucester), Evan Minto (Dragons), Sion Davies (Cardiff), Ellis Lewis (Neath), Harri Wilde (Cardiff), Harri Ford (Dragons), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff), Elis Price (Scarlets), Elijah Evans (Cardiff), Osian Roberts (Sale Sharks), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff), Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears), Lewis Edwards (Ospreys), Jack Woods (Bath), Tom Bowen (Cardiff).
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
The best young Welsh players ready to take on the world this summer
The best young Welsh players ready to take on the world this summer Wales U20s are confident they can go deep into the World Rugby U20s Championship this summer Wales U20s wing Aidan Boshoff will be an important player this summer (Image: Mark Lewis/Huw Evans Agency ) Wales' best young rugby talents will compete at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy this summer and will want to lay down a marker. Richard Whiffin's side made great strides during the U20s Six Nations, claiming victories over Italy U20s, Ireland U20s and England U20s, respectively, so will be full of confidence when they travel out to Italy. They have been drawn in a difficult pool alongside France U20s, Argentina U20s and Spain U20s but will be confident of giving a good account of themselves. Whiffin will name his full squad on Tuesday but it would be a shock if he moved away from the bulk of the players who did well in the U20s Six Nations. Here are the players who could really kick on in Italy. Harri Wilde The Cardiff outside-half is a talented footballer with all the raw materials needed to make an impact as a professional over the next couple of seasons. Wilde is a triple threat player who has the speed and agility to break the line while his passing game is also very good and he has a lot of peripheral vision. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below The 20-year-old has blown hot and cold in the past but everything came together in that famous Six Nations victory over England at the Arms Park in March. It was Wilde's chip over the top of the England defence which resulted in a try for Steffan Emanuel while his pass at the line released Tom Bowen down the touchline to put Harry Rees-Weldon over for a score. He will face competition from Harri Ford but Wilde will be a key player for Wales this summer. Sam Scott Warren Gatland saw huge potential in the tighthead prop as does Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam. The Bristol prop is a very good scrummager who gets through tons of work around the park, Scott's numbers were very high throughout the Six Nations whether through tackling, carrying or his work at the breakdown. Welsh rugby in general are short of strong scrummaging tightheads but Scott is a player with an extremely high ceiling. If Wales are going to go deep into the World Cup this summer then they are going to need a solid platform at the set-piece which means Scott is a player of paramount importance. Harry Thomas The Scarlets hooker was outstanding throughout the U20s Six Nations and was named player of the match for his efforts in that stunning victory over England U20s. Thomas is a very dynamic and powerful carrier who does not find it hard making significant post contact metres. In Wales' backs against the wall 20-12 victory over Ireland U20s at Rodney Parade Thomas made a remarkable 22 tackles while he is also a jackal threat at the breakdown. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free His throwing in does need to be a little more consistent but the 20-year-old has all the attributes needed to develop into a top class professional over the next few seasons. Aidan Boshoff The 19-year-old wing will head into the World Championship in red-hot form after claiming a brace of tries in the 47-19 victory over Italy U20s at the Arms Park last Friday. Boshoff bases his game on a high-work rate and excels in the air, defensively and on the kick-chase. The Bristol Bears wing is another young Welshman rated by Pat Lam who believes he has a big future ahead of him. Boshoff is also not short of gas and is an excellent finisher but there is nothing flashy about the long-haired wing who relishes the physical confrontations. With Harry Rees-Weldon ruled out through injury there will be an onus on Boshoff and Cardiff wing Tom Bowen to get on the scoreboard as often as possible. Luke Evans If Wales are to mix it with the likes of England, France and South Africa this summer they will have to win the physical confrontations. That is where the likes of Exeter Chiefs second-row Luke Evans come in. Evans is a giant at 6ft 8in so clearly has the size to make a big impact and is exactly the profile of second-row which is in short supply in Wales. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Having represented England U18s he has decided to switch his allegiance back to Wales which can only be seen as a positive. Article continues below He is an excellent lineout forward who carries a lot of ball and is highly rated by the Wales coaches.
