11 Scarlets named in Wales U20s squad

Rob LloydNews

Wales head coach Byron Hayward has named a 36-man squad containing 11 Scarlets for the U20s Six Nations championship campaign.

Front-rowers Josh Morse, Tom Pritchard, Lewis Morgan, Isaac Young and Will Couch are joined by back-five forwards Caleb Salmon and Luca Giannini, scrum-halves Archie Hughes and Harri Williams and outside backs Jac Davies and Kian Abraham.

Dragons back row Ryan Woodman will captain the side.

Hayward believes he has selected a strong squad for the campaign which sees Wales host Ireland at Stadiwm CSM next Friday in the opening round of matches.

“It is the strongest squad we could have picked because of recruitment,” he said. “Our identification of this squad has been really thorough since last September and we’re in a totally different place to where we were 12 months ago.

“I’ve watched virtually every game these boys have played from September this season either by footage or watching the games. We’ve also had workshops plus we had a match against Scotland pre-Christmas and then we had Poland and we’ve also had two hit-outs against Cardiff Met and Pontypool in the last couple of weeks so preparation wise I think we’re in a good place.

“We are inexperienced up front in the front five in terms of age and playing-wise at this level but we have experience in the back line and it’s always the same every year, it is one or the other.” 

Wales U20 Six Nations squad

Forwards

Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (Dragons), Freddie Chapman (Ospreys), Josh Morse (Scarlets), Sam Scarfe (Dragons), Lewis Morgan (Scarlets), Isaac Young (Scarlets), Ellis Fackrell (Ospreys), Will Couch (Scarlets), Tomas Pritchard (Scarlets), Liam Edwards (Ospreys), Jonny Green (Harlequins), Owain Evans (RGC), Ryan Woodman (Dragons – capt), Huw Davies (Sale), Caleb Salmon (Scarlets), Tom Caple (Dragons), Luca Giannini (Scarlets), Gwilym Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Morgan Morse (Ospreys), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby).

Backs

Archie Hughes (Scarlets), Harri Williams (Scarlets), Che Hope (Dragons), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Harrison James (Cardiff Rugby), Iwan Jenkins (Exeter), Harri Ackerman (Dragons), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby), Tom Florence (Ospreys), Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby), Harri Houston ((Ospreys), Oli Andrew (Dragons), Llien Morgan (Ospreys), Jac Davies (Scarlets), Kian Abraham (Scarlets).