Richard Whiffin’s side are busy preparing for the U20s World Championship
Wales U20s step up their preparations for this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship when they take on Scotland U20s in an uncapped warm-up fixture at Boroughmuir RFC in Edinburgh on Friday (3pm).
The match offers head coach Richard Whiffin a final opportunity to fine-tune his squad before the tournament gets under way later this month, with several players looking to stake their claim ahead of the final squad announcement next week.
Wales have been drawn in Pool A alongside hosts Georgia, defending champions South Africa and Uruguay.
“We’ve had a really good three-week block where we split our focuses on unit-based work alongside individual development and we were lucky in that we had the heat wave 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 has taken the opportunity to give the likes of Ospreys back row Sam Morgan and Gloucester scrum-half Cai Gealy a chance in what is a 30-man squad.
There is a start for 18-year-old Scarlets outside-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, while highly-rated rising Ospreys star Lewis Edwards has been named at full-back.
Cardiff’s Dylan Scott and Rhys Cummings are on the wing with Sion Davies named at scrum-half.
Up-front George Tuckley, James Talamai and Jac Pritchard form a strong front-row, while giant Scarlets lock Will Evans has returned from injury to partner Tom Cottle in the second-row.
Gloucester’s Deian Gwynne captains the side from blindside flanker, while Morgan and Evan Minto make up the backrow.
“The boys need some minutes and we need to test out some combinations for the World Cup,” said Whiffin.
“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.
“They [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 U20s: Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Dylan Scott (Cardiff Met), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff), Jack Hoskins (Ospreys), Rhys Cummings (Cardiff); Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets), Sion Davies (Cardiff); George Tuckley (Dragons), James Talamai (Dragons), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Will Evans (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (Cardiff), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester), Sam Morgan (Ospreys), Evan Minto (Dragons). Replacements: Oscar Thomas (Bath), Dylan James (Ospreys), Isaac Godfrey (Exeter Chiefs), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Osian Williams (Bristol Bears), Caio James (Gloucester), Alex Rigway (Bath), Cai Gealy (Bristol Bears), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff), Tom Bowen (Cardiff), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff), Bailey Cutts (Cardiff), Brogan Leary (Dragons), George Leyland (Bristol Bears), Tom Howe (Cardiff).