Six young welsh lads to watch out for...!

From the Western Mail

SAMSON LEE (Scarlets)

Age: 19

Position: Tight-head prop

Height: 5ft 11lbs

Weight: 18st 1lb

HIS name’s Samson and he could have Welsh fans singing Delilah in years to come.

Finding the long-term successor to the near-indispensable Adam Jones is an abiding issue for Welsh rugby.

Tight-head props don’t exactly grow on trees and up until now the search has proved a largely fruitless one.

But in Samson Lee, there is real hope for the future.

The teenager has the perfect build for the job and also an invaluable willingness to learn.

Wales U20s boss Danny Wilson, who is also now his coach at the Scarlets, is hugely encouraged by the progress Lee is making.

“Samson’s development over the last season has been excellent,” he said.

“I have seen him really flourish from pre-Six Nations where he had a few issues.

“He’s worked extremely hard on those, come back from injury at the end of the Six Nations and then gone to the Junior World Cup in South Africa.

“For me, he was the best tight-head at that World Cup campaign, there’s no doubt about that.

“From my early work with him, I’ve been impressed with how coachable he is.

“He has taken things on very quickly in what is a very technical position and he’s proved he can make changes.”

With Rhys Thomas having retired on health grounds, there’s a tight-head vacancy at the Scarlets and strongman Samson would relish the challenge.

LUKE HAMILTON (Blues)

Age: 20

Position: Flanker

Height: 6ft 2ins

Weight: 17st

JOINING the Blues was quite literally like winning the lottery for Luke Hamilton.

It could hardly have come at a more timely moment, as the Pembrokeshire product had just been released by the Scarlets after spending two years with the west Wales region.

“I didn’t have time to feel down about it because I was approached by the Blues and asked to join them,” explained the young blindside.

“I was naturally thrilled and it almost proved a perfect weekend because I also did the National Lottery and had the first five numbers out.

“But I had 26 when I needed 28 to take the jackpot, which wasn’t won that weekend!

“My heart was pounding as the numbers came out, but it gave me a few bob, though, and I knew I was joining the Blues as an added bonus for me!”

That was a couple of years ago and Hamilton has steadily grown in stature during his time with the Cardiff-based outfit.

Having added to the experience he gained with the Llanelli Premiership side by playing for Glamorgan Wanderers, he then stepped up to regional level last season, catching the eye not just for his shock of blond hair but also his destructive play and forceful work at the breakdown.

At last month’s Junior World Cup, the former Coleg Sir Gar student claimed the notable achievement of playing every minute of every game during Wales U20s’ memorable five-match campaign.

ROSS JONES

Age: 20

Position: Full-back

Team: Ospreys

Height: 5ft 11ins

Weight: 14st 2lbs

IRELAND’S loss is proving to be Wales’ gain in the case of Ross Jones.

The young full-back was born in Llanelli, but moved with his family to Dublin at the age of eight when his father went there to work.

He spent 10 years in the Emerald Isle, where his rugby talent was recognised when he was drafted into the Leinster set-up, going on to represent Ireland at U18s level.

But in 2010, he was signed up by the Ospreys on a three-year development contract and headed back to Wales.

After finding his feet in grown-up rugby with Bridgend, he took his regional bow last season.

He made five appearances in all, scoring a try in the LV Cup victory over the Dragons in January on the familiar surroundings of the Brewery Field.

And when it came to returning to representative rugby, it was to be in red rather than green.

He has made the No 15 jersey his own for Wales U20s and was one of the shining lights behind the scrum at the Junior World Cup in South Africa last month.

He touched down against Samoa and impressed with his counter-attacking enterprise and strong running.

With Shane Williams, Tommy Bowe, Nikki Walker and Kristian Phillips having all departed and Eli Walker injured, there will be opportunities in the back-three at the Liberty Stadium next season and Jones looks ready to step up.

JACK DIXON

Age: 17

Position: Centre

Team: Dragons

Height: 6ft 2ins

Weight: 15st 10lbs

YOU know you are getting old when you find yourself writing about a player who was born in December 1994.

It’s certainly a fact that modern-day rugby players are coming through younger all the time.

But even by those standards, Dixon is a real prodigy.

Last October, he made rugby history when he became the youngest player to appear for a Welsh regional side.

He was just 16 years and 313 days old when he made his Dragons debut as a replacement against Wasps in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

So young was he, that he wasn’t actually allowed to play in the Premiership at the time.

Once he turned 17 in December, he gained further experience with Newport and also went on to make a couple more substitute appearances for the Dragons, impressing with his graceful running in the centre and good hands.

He was to re-write the record books once again with Wales U20s at the Junior World Cup in South Africa last month.

When he started the opening group game against Fiji, he became the youngest player to appear in the tournament.

And that wasn’t the end of his history-making as he retained his place for the following match against New Zealand, which Wales won 9-6 to consign the Baby Blacks to their first defeat in the four years of the competition.

CORY ALLEN

Age: 19

Position: Centre

Team: Blues

Height: 6ft 4ins

Weight: 14st 13lbs

OPPORTUNITY knocks for Cory Allen at the Arms Park next season.

With Casey Laulala having moved on to Munster and Jamie Roberts recovering from major knee surgery, there will be places up for grabs in the Blues midfield in the early weeks of the season.

And, given his form during the recent Junior World Cup, Allen could well be the young man for the job.

The Cardiff-born centre was one of the stand-out performers for Wales U20s in South Africa, scoring tries against both Fiji and Samoa.

He had the power to get over the gain-line himself, but also the footballing ability and astute awareness to put team-mates into gaps, consistently taking the right options.

“We gave an award to Cory as most improved player of the tournament,” revealed Wales U20s coach Danny Wilson.

“He really came on and shored up our midfield.

“By his own admission, he didn’t play particularly well during the Six Nations, but rarely did flourish at the World Cup.

“He’s a big-framed lad and I think Gareth Baber has got a lot of confidence in him coming through at the Blues.”

Allen played most of his rugby for the Cardiff club side last season, but did have a couple of chances at regional level.

Now you can expect the talented teenager to become more of a regular fixture in the Blues ranks.

SCOTT BALDWIN

Age: 23

Position: Hooker

Team: Ospreys

Height: 6ft 3ins

Weight: 17st 4lbs

WITH his 24th birthday coming up next week, Baldwin is a good couple of years older than the other players on this list of young guns.

He actually made his Ospreys debut back in March 2009, but it was only in the second half of last season that he really began to break through.

Prior to that, he had played the majority of his rugby at Premiership level with Swansea, while also having a stint in Italy with ASR Milan last autumn.

But after returning from his Italian job in the new year, he steadily began to catch the eye with his muscular performances, making 13 appearances at regional level in total last term.

At 6ft 3ins and 17st 5lbs, he is, not to put too fine a point on it, a real big lump.

Combine that bulk and power with an aggressive attitude and you have a major physical presence on your hands.

The no-nonsense Baldwin is a mightily effective ball carrier and also a strong scrummager.

It was notable that he played his part in a couple of pushover tries for the Ospreys after coming off the bench last term.

With Huw Bennett having left for French fields in Lyon, Richard Hibbard a candidate for Wales squad duties and Mefin Davies having moved into the coaching set-up, there are likely to be increasing opportunities for Baldwin this season.

I think the fail are a bit off with the stats on some. They also could have added Rob Evans (Samsons buddy) to the list, who looks just as promising. I don't think Hamilton will be anything more than a dependable club player.

Looks as though we have another promising centre coming through in Cory Allen, another big unit too. He has looked good each time I've seen him, let's hope Phil Davies gives him some game time outside Roberts. Dixon, Baldwin and Jones still have a lot to prove.

Morganwg,

I don't beleiev you are doubting the fail on their reporting tut tut and shame on you.

Hamilton looks too much lik Phil Waugh and Schalk Berger not to be a big star!

Brilliant reporting I'm so glad the Fail brought these lads to our attention, I had never heard of any of them...

These are six lads in twenty who deserve credit.i can immediately think of ten more who deserve this accolade as much as they do.

If you guys have further recommendations please put them forward.

My picks
Hallam Amos, WillGriff John, Lloyd Peers, Rhodri Hughes

Habberfield.

Can you put the height and weight into the metrics please?

Dan Thomas & Jordan Williams (and George North of course, he's young and some of the Fail readers may not have heard of him...)

I think Jack Dixon and Hamilton look very good and have potential.

Well he's still only 20 I think but I hope Prydie has a great season for us down at Dave

I thought Hamilton played at no.8, at least that's the position he played in against Edinburgh in Martyn Williams's last game didn't he He had a stormer that day as well. Or am I imagining it.

Ur not dowlais - i thought the same about him in that game

Hamilton is a blindside/No.8

Had no idea Dixon and Allen were that big. And to think we've been gaping at North's size and power since he made his introduction. Who's been spilling all these steroids into the growth pods?

Hamilton is a 6/8, played 6 for the age grade side, but thought he was very lively at 8 for the Blues!

Knowsit17 wrote:Had no idea Dixon and Allen were that big. And to think we've been gaping at North's size and power since he made his introduction. Who's been spilling all these steroids into the growth pods?

I think it's just because we have had better rugby program's run when these guys were kids. Encouraging them to stick at it and play well.

There are lot of unsung Heros of the welsh game coaching at schools and rugby clubs encouraging lads with talent how to use it.

Welsh rugby is just so earnest. Desperate almost in their continued striving.

Ice chambers..and if you make a mistake your captain publicly hangs you out to dry.

All this time spent in gyms pumping iron and eating raw eggs.

All this time running around in the mud.

I wonder sometimes whether it is not time wasted. With the warnings about global warming ignored all those years ago and with the threat of it all clearly now crystallising...

Should we not be moving more towards a hedonistic use of our time?

Particularly the young.

There cannot be too much time left to waste in the gym and on an alcohol ban.

There are women to chase and there is fun to be had.

I dont know about you but im going to get my kicks before the whole sh*t goes down all right.