Scarlets kick off the new-look Academies U18 Championship on Sunday when they host rivals the Ospreys at Tenby RFC (14:30).
This season’s championship will be played over two blocks of fixtures, the first of which will end in early September just before the U18 Rugby tournament for schools and colleges kicks-off. It will then return for five more rounds in January and February before culminating in a final.
The U18s have warmed up for the extended competition with matches at Malvern College and against Leinster.
Head coach Tom Phillips welcomes back six players who were part of Wales’ recent training camp in Italy, including hooker Cole Lacey, lock Rhys Owen, back-rower Harvey Thomas, scrum-half Alfie Luger, fly-half Madoc Evans and centre Jayden Brown
Llandovery’s Harri Davies leads the side from full-back.
The match-day 23 sees strong representation from Coleg Sir Gâr and Llandovery College, with players also selected from Ammanford College, Haverfordwest High, Ysgol Dyffryn Taf and Ysgol Penglais.
Club sides represented are Tenby RFC, Amman Utd RFC, Haverfordwest RFC, Llandeilo RFC, Llandovery RFC, Aberystwyth RFC, Carmarthen Quins RFC, Penybanc RFC, Newcastle Emlyn RFC, Narberth RFC, Porthcawl RFC and South Gower RFC.
Tom Phillips said: “We are excited for the start of our Championship campaign, we have had good preparation, taking on the top English Academies in Malvern and then against Leinster in New Dock Stars.
“Like every year, the focus will be the development of these boys, who hopefully will become part of the senior squad in future years, but I am sure it is going to be another hard-fought derby against the Ospreys.
“We are looking forward to heading to Tenby RFC, who have been brilliant in accommodating us for this game.”
Scarlets U18s v Ospreys U18s
- Ollie Tucker (Llandovery College/Tenby RFC)
- Cole Lacey (Coleg Sir Gâr/Amman Utd)
- Dyfan Llewellyn (Coleg Sir Gâr)/Amman Utd)
- Rhys Owen (Coleg Sir Gâr/Penybanc RFC)
- Owen Grieve (Coleg Sir Gâr/Tenby RFC)
- Harvey Thomas (Llandovery College/Haverfordwest RFC)
- Austin Sandford (Ysgol Penglais/Amman Utd)
- Hefin Davies (Llandovery College/Amman Utd)
- Alfie Luger (Llandovery College/Tenby RFC)
- Madoc Evans (Llandovery College/Tenby RFC)
- Steffan Thomas (Coleg Sir Gâr/Llandeilo RFC)
- Dafydd Williams (Haverfordwest High/Haverfordwest RFC)
- Jayden Brown (Llandovery College/Porthcawl RFC)
- Owain Llyr Hywel (Penweddig/Aberystwyth RFC)
- Harri Davies (Ammanford College/Llandovery RFC)
Reps | Eilyddion
- Sam Cawsey (Llandovery College/South Gower RFC)
- Sid Castree (Coleg Sir Gâr/Narberth RFC)
- Cai Soanes (Coleg Sir Gâr/Carmarthen Quins)
- Spencer Odley (Llandovery College/Narberth RFC)
- Callum Goeman (Ysgol Dyffryn Taf/Narberth RFC)
- Cellan Allcock ((Coleg Sir Gâr/Amman Utd RFC)
- Toby Slater (Coleg Sir Gâr/Amman Utd RFC)
- Noa Harries (Llandovery College/Newcastle Emlyn RFC)