Wales U20 side announcement

Five players from last years’ U20 Six Nations squad return to pursue victory in this year's campaign.

Cardiff’s Willgriff John, Llanelli’s Kirby Myhill, Carmarthen’s Rob Evans, Cardiff’s Matthew Screech and Reuben Tucker have been named in the 2012 squad along with 22 new faces.

Myhill returns to the squad with regional experience after appearing 11 times for the Scarlets since August 2011.

The squad are without last year's Liam Williams who made the step up to the senior team in Gatland’s autumn squad and retains his place in the RBS 6 Nations training squad.

The U20 team will play all their home matches for the first time in North Wales at Eirias but first head to Dubarry Park to face Ireland on February 3.

They return to Wales to play Scotland on February 10 in the first of three home matches at the new North Wales facilities.

Head Coach Danny Wilson is confident in the new blood and believes those involved last year will bring some knowledge and experience to the squad. “It’s an exciting young squad we have here, this group of players have trained well over the past few weeks, there’s a fair amount of talent in the wider squad," he said.

“We’re looking forward to a tough challenge against Ireland away and preparations are going well.

“We’re all excited about the change of venue to Eirias in Colwyn Bay. The facilities are superb, we’re hoping to get a good crowd in from north Wales and promote the U20’s in this area.

“We will be settling in and making Eirias our home ground and I know rugby is well supported in north Wales and we would love a good crowd to come along and support the U20’s and make Eirias a difficult place for opposition to visit.”

2012 U20 Six Nations Squad:

Forwards

Front Row

Rob Evans. Club: Llanelli, Region: Scarlets

Tom Davies. Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues

Dan Suter. Club: Bridgend, Region: Ospreys

Willgriff John. Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues

Kirby Myhill. Club: Llanelli, Region: Scarlets

Jamie Sollis. Club: Cross Keys, Region: Dragons

Second Row

Matthew Screech. Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues

Jack Jones, Club: Swansea, Region: Ospreys

Rhodri Hughes. Club: Swansea, Region: Ospreys

Back Row

Ellis Jenkins. Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues

Daniel Thomas. Club: Llanelli, Region: Scarlets

Dan Crimmins. Club: Cardiff

Rueben Tucker, Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues



Backs

Half backs

Jonathan Evans. Club: Bedwas, Region: Dragons

Joshua Davies. Club: Newport, Region: Dragons

Jack Moates. Club: London Irish

Jordan Williams, Club: Llanelli, Region: Scarlets

Sam Davies. Club: Swansea, Region: Ospreys

Lewis Williams. Club: Pontypridd, Region: Blues

Centres

Cory Allen. Club: Cardiff, Region: Blues

Nathan Edwards. Club: Bridgend

Luke Williams. Club: Cross Keys, Region: Dragons

Wings/Full backs

Luke Morgan. Club: Bridgend, Region: Ospreys

Iolo Evans. Club: Llanelli, Region: Scarlets

Jake Randall. Club: Llandovery, Region: Scarlets

Ross Jones. Club: Bridgend, Region: Ospreys

Fixtures:

Ireland v Wales, Dubarry Park, KO 19.05- 03/02/2012

Wales v Scotland, Eirias, KO 19.35- 10/02/2012

England v Wales, Twickenham Stoop, KO 19.30- 24/02/2012

Wales v Italy, Eirias, KO 19.10- 09/03/2012

Wales v France, Eirias, KO 19.35- 16/03/2012

For tickets log on to www.wru.co.uk/tickets

Knowsit17 wrote:No Macauley Cook this year. Injury? Or is he too old for u20's now?

wales606 wrote:Cook is with the Blues I guess, as is Cory Hill I suppose :/

Interesting to see that most of the Blues players are from Cardiff RFC - not many Ponty players unlike last year. :/

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Hope someone's told them that they'll all be giving a pound of flesh, twenty litres of blood and a lifetime of servitude to the WRU!

maestegmafia wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Hope someone's told them that they'll all be giving a pound of flesh, twenty litres of blood and a lifetime of servitude to the WRU!

I am sure that many would give that and much more.

Looks like Wales will be missing a host of players who have other commitments.

"10 players missing due to other commitments - including Tom Habberfield, Harry Robinson and Rhys Patchell who are on international Sevens duty - a number of players have been drafted in to be given an unexpected opportunity to stake their own claim." From the WRU website.

Morgannwg wrote:No Prydie, Morgan, Walker, James, Robinson in the backs, or Cook, Young and Hill up front. All were eligible and seeing as U20's are our second team they should have had priority over the Regions. Wales to finish 5th.

Taffineastbourne wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:No Prydie, Morgan, Walker, James, Robinson in the backs, or Cook, Young and Hill up front. All were eligible and seeing as U20's are our second team they should have had priority over the Regions. Wales to finish 5th.

That is really encouraging!We are on the right track.

Taffineastbourne wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:No Prydie, Morgan, Walker, James, Robinson in the backs, or Cook, Young and Hill up front. All were eligible and seeing as U20's are our second team they should have had priority over the Regions. Wales to finish 5th.

That is really encouraging!We are on the right track.