Scarlets second row Will Evans will make his return to action as Wales U20s take on Scotland in a warm-up ahead of selection for this summer’s World Rugby Junior World Championships in Georgia.
Evans has suffered a frustrating season through injuries, but is named as one of three Scarlets in a 30-strong squad for the game at Boroughmuir RFC on Friday (3pm ko).
Fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones and prop Jac Pritchard are also named in the starting line-up.
The match offers players a final opportunity to put their hands up for selection in Richard Whiffin’s squad which will be confirmed early next week.
Wales will face pool matches against hosts Georgia (Sat, June 27), Uruguay (Thursday, July 2) and championship favourites South Africa (Tues, July 7 ) in Tbilisi.
“We’ve had a really good three weeks block where we split our focusses on unit-based work alongside individual development and we were lucky in that we had the heatwave so we got three or four sessions in what will be similar conditions out in Georgia,” said Whiffin.
“The boys then had a few days off and then we came in for our second block where we trained against the senior team on Monday. Both teams obviously needed it against different opposition and it is always good to see the alignment working with the senior boys.”
Whiffin added: “The boys need some minutes and we need to test out some combinations for the World Cup.
“There is nothing like going out against an opposition that don’t know what you’re trying to do to get a feel on how you’re trying to work so it will be a valuable hit out.
“Scotland had a game against Ireland last week so they will be into their second game and ready to go, so it will be a good test for us.”
Wales U20 v Scotland (Friday, June 12; Boroughmuir RFC, KO 3pm)
15 Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); 14 Dylan Scott (Cardiff Met), 13 Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), 12 Jack Hoskins (Ospreys), 11 Rhys Cummings (Cardiff Rugby), 10 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets), 9 Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby); 1 George Tuckley (Dragons RFC), 2 James Talamai (Dragons RFC), 3 Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), 4 Will Evans (Scarlets), 5 Tom Cottle (Cardiff Rugby), 6 Deian Gwynne (c) (Gloucester Rugby), 7 Sam Morgan (Ospreys), 8 Evan Minto (Dragons RFC).
Replacements: 16 Oscar Thomas (Bath Rugby), 17 Dylan James (Ospreys), 18 Isaac Godfrey (Exeter Chiefs), 19 Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), 20 Osian Williams (Bristol), 21 Caio James (Gloucester), 22 Alex Ridgway (Bath Rugby), 23 Cai Gealy (Bristol Bears), 24 Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), 25 Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby), 26 Steff Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby), 27 Bailey Cutts (Cardiff Rugby), 28 Brogan Leary (Dragons RFC), 29 George Leyland (Bristol Bears), 30 Tom Howe (Cardiff Rugby).
