Under-20 Competitions including Oceania & World U20s

Joey Walton is turning 20 this year

Sorry wouldn't that be right? Turning 20 this year also make him eligible

Will Harris, he's actually a QLD lad from up north.

You snooze you lose

Pools & draw for U20 RWC are out:



https://www.world.rugby/u20/matches

https://www.world.rugby/u20/news/551709

We're pretty happy with who we've got - but he looks a pearler.

It is the Sean McMahon conundrum. Can't keep them all.

I think he’s been in Sydney since he was nine

Harry Wilson is fine guys, we will manage. Ironically he is originally from Gunnedah - fair trade.

Outside of those returning this year, any word from Canberra on who's impressing selectors?

Isaac Kailea and Mosese Tuipulotu from the Rebels will be interesting if they get a chance to join the extended u20s squad once the trials finish.

Alex Masibaka from Perth has huge wraps on him.

I think this team will be very good again.

Kalani, Samuela, Connolly, Reimer, Vella, Bockenham etc are all blokes who excelled in the schoolboys.

Bell, Nawaqanitawase and Tizzano stand outs on the weekend.

Wales have named their squad for the upcoming U20 Six Nations. There will likely be changes between now and the 2020 World Rugby U20s Championship (e.g. injury, form, players not selected for the U20 Six Nations due to senior rugby opportunities), but I thought it might be interesting to run an eye over our Pool B opponents.

In 2019, Wales finished sixth at the World Rugby U20s Championship, with victories over hosts Argentina, Fiji and, most notably, New Zealand (despite only spending 26 seconds in the opposition 22), before losing to England in the play-off for fifth place. Ultimately, an unreliable set-piece often found them starved of ball and forced to rely on their defence – resulting in a team that averaged more than 32 missed tackles a game.

The 2020 Wales U20 Six Nations squad (as below) includes eight players from the 2019 World Rugby U20s Championship campaign.

Prop:

Theo Bevacqua (Cardiff Blues) – 1.83m, 111kg

Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues) – 1.83m, 118kg – returning from 2019

Callum Williams (Scarlets) – 1.75m, 106kg

Archie Griffin (Bath) – 1.88m, 118kg

Harri O Connor (Scarlets) – 1.80m, 115kg

Dylan Bartlett (Dragons) – 1.96m, 120kg

Hooker:

Dom Booth (Scarlets) – 1.75m, 110kg

Will Griffiths (Dragons) – 1.75m, 101kg – returning from 2019

Brodie Coghlan (Dragons) – 1.83m, 102kg

Lock:

James Fender (Ospreys) – 2.01m, 115kg

Rhys Thomas (Ospreys) – 1.93m, 112kg

Ben Carter (Dragons) – 1.98m, 117kg

Jac Price (Scarlets) – 2.01, 118kg – returning from 2019

Back Row:

Travis Huntley (Ospreys) – 1.88m, 112kg

Morgan Strong (Ospreys) – 1.85m, 105kg

Gwilym Bradley (Cardiff Blues) – 1.88m, 98kg

Ioan Rhys Davies (Cardiff Blues) – 1.88m, 103kg – returning from 2019

Jac Morgan (Scarlets) – 1.80m, 102kg – returning from 2019

Benji Hoppe (Dragons) – 1.93m, 99kg

Scrum-half:

Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Met) – 1.80m, 92kg

Dafydd Buckland (Dragons) – 1.75m, 74kg – returning from 2019

Fly-half:

Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers) – 1.75m, 83kg – returning from 2019

Luke Scully (Worcester) – 1.80m, 90kg

Jacob Beetham (Cardiff Blues) – 1.85m, 87kg

Ioan Lloyd (Bristol) – 1.83m, 83kg

Centre:

Bradley Roderick (Ospreys) – 1.80m, 95kg

Aneurin Owen (Dragons) – 1.83m, 96kg – returning from 2019

Osian Knott (Scarlets) – 1.88m, 103kg

Wing / Full-back:

Dan John (Millfield School) – n/a, n/a

Josh Thomas (Ospreys) – 1.78m, 82kg

Ewan Rosser (Dragons) – 1.78m, 85kg

Callum Williams (Scarlets) – 1.75m, 90kg

Harri Doel (Scarlets) – 1.78m, 86kg

Notwithstanding the danger in trying to extrapolate careers from U20s form / selection, for a little context, here are a few of the Welsh lads tipped as players to watch:


Prop:
Theo Bevacqua – the loosehead prop is highly rated by Gethin Jenkins, and recently signed with Cardiff from the Harlequins Academy (despite offers to continue his career in the English Premiership). Has played for Wales at U18 and U19 level.


Back Row:
Morgan Strong – a great name for a budding No. 8, Strong is often described as “mature beyond his years”. Is on a development contract with the Ospreys while gaining experience in the Welsh Premiership.

Jac Morgan – named captain of the 2020 Six Nations U20 squad, Morgan has taken his opportunities with the Scarlets this season following an outstanding 2019 World Rugby U20s Championship (where he operated at No. 8). Morgan can play across the back row but will probably settle at openside at the professional level.


Fly-half:
Sam Costelow – highly rated by Leicester Tigers, helping steer the academy side to two Premiership Academy titles before being elevated to the development squad for the 2019/20 season.

Ioan Lloyd – the fly-half has transitioned to senior rugby with Bristol Bears and is at short odds for a senior Wales cap in the future. Notwithstanding all that, Lloyd may find himself employed at full-back in order to squeeze Sam Costelow, Aneurin Owen, and Lloyd into the same XV (at 10, 12, and 15 respectively).


Centre:
Bradley Roderick – a former Wales U18s captain, Roderick has already played senior rugby at Welsh Premiership level. He has speed and power, allied to an ability to offload. Roderick has previously formed half of a well-balanced centre-pairing with Aneurin Owen at U19 level.

Aneurin Owen – playing at fly-half until he was 16, it is Owen’s skill that marks him out. His creativity and distribution is likely to benefit those outside him, while he also has an accurate boot. Sadly, his 2019 World Rugby U20s Championship was over before it really began when he suffered a nasty head injury in the second minute of Wales’ opening game.


Wing / Full-back:
Dan John (Millfield School) – n/a, n/a – is selected out of school, and displayed class at Wales U19 level igniting a number of attacks with his footwork and acceleration, and possesses a handy left boot. The 2020 World Rugby U20s Championship is probably too early for John, but the 2020 U20s Six Nations should give us a few glimpses. Is the son of former Wales scrum-half Paul John.

Just saw the 52 man squad announced for the Junior All Blacks today and notable Australian Rep players who went to NZ to play rugby, Campbell Parata and Bailey Tau Tau have not been included. Wondering if they are injured or will we see a double repeat of Nick Frost and they return to take positions in the Junior Wallabies.