Wales U-20s include highly-rated Ospreys pair for World bid
HIGHLY-RATED Ospreys halfbacks Harri Morgan and Cai Evans have been named in Wales’ Under20s squad for the Junior World Championships in France which starts later this month.
The pair have had a taste of senior rugby in the Anglo-Welsh Cup at the Liberty this season and are part of an exciting squad named by interim coach Geraint Lewis – who takes the reins from Jason Strange, who has joined Cardiff Blues.
Scarlets speedsters Ryan Conbeer, Corey Baldwin and Ioan Nicholas, who have all had PRO14 experience for the defending champions this term, are also included.
Leicester Tigers flanker Tommy Reffell continues as captain, having led Wales during the Six Nations.
Cardiff Blues scrum-half Dane Blacker returns from the back injury which ruled him out of this year’s championship, while the Ospreys duo of centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler and wing Dewi Cross step up from Wales Under18s.
Wales, beaten in a training match against the Junior Springboks at the Arms Park this week, have been drawn in a pool containing big-hitters Australia and New Zealand and Japan.
Lewis, who has coached Wales’ Under-18 and Under-20 teams for the last four years, said: “I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity to head up the coaching team this summer in France – continuing and complementing the good work Jason has done.
“As players and staff, we know each other well and what we expect from one another.
“We’ve used the Six Nations to develop and observe a large group of players in preparation for the World Rugby U20 Championship.
“In doing so we’ve made selection a very difficult process for ourselves, but that’s a positive thing.
“Our pool is very tough, but everyone’s excited because we don’t often play southern hemisphere teams. Experiencing a different style of play is a key aspect of our players’ development.”
Linking up with the Wales coaching team in France will be Dai Flanagan of the Scarlets.
Wales will take on Australia at the Stade de la Mediterranee in Beziers on Wednesday, May 30 (2000BST). They clash with New Zealand at the same venue on Sunday, June 3 (1530BST) and round off Pool A with a trip to the Stade Aime-Giral in Perpignan for a meeting with Japan on Thursday, June 7 (1730BST).
Wales U20 squad Forwards:
Taine Basham (Dragons) Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues) Chris Coleman (Dragons) Dan Davis (Scarlets) Rhys Davies (Bath Rugby) Rhys Davies (Scarlets) Ben Fry (Dragons) Lennon Greggains (Dragons) Iestyn Harris (Cardiff Blues) Rhys Henry (Ospreys) Dewi Lake (Ospreys) Alun Lawrence (Cardiff Blues) Jack Pope (Bridgend) Tommy Reffell (c) (Leicester Tigers) Josh Reynolds (Dragons) Max Williams (Dragons).
Corey Baldwin (Scarlets) Dane Blacker (Cardiff Blues) Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets) Dewi Cross (Ospreys) Rio Dyer (Dragons) Cai Evans (Ospreys) Joe Goodchild (Dragons) Ben Jones (Cardiff Blues) Harri Morgan (Ospreys) Ioan Nicholas (Scarlets) Ben Thomas (Cardiff Blues) Tiaan ThomasWheeler (Ospreys).
Backs: