The Wales U20 squad left for Argentina to challenge for the IRB Junior World Championship this weekend with a rallying call from head coach Phil Davies for inspiration.
He told them: “Show the spirit you displayed in the Six Nations and match that with real intensity on the field. I want you all to go out an play every match as well as you possibly can.”
Davies addressed the squad at the WRU National Centre of Excellence before their final training session ahead of the mammoth journey to south America.
The U20s were joined at the NCE venue by the Wales senior squad and head coach Warren Gatland made a point of wishing Phil and his team well.
Gatland said: “Good luck for the championship as I know just how hard you have all worked to give of your best.”
The U20 squad had an intense 45 minute long session on the NCE’s outdoor 3G artificial pitch before gathering for their formal squad photograph.
Before departing Phil Davies said: “We are all really excited about the prospect of playing in a great championship against the best opposition in the world at this age group. This is the kind of challenge we need in order to keep improving as coaches and players.
“A lot of hard work has been done already and now it is just a case of getting on with it and playing rugby. This will be a great experience for all the players and will be a test in which they must prove their attitude and their competitiveness.
“Our job is about bringing players through for Wales and it is also about delivering quality players to our Regions and for the Premiership. The Premiership will be a stronger division because of the players we can deliver into their squads and that is good for Welsh rugby.
“Of course our core aim is to get boys good enough to impress Warren and his coaches but all the spin offs are good for our game.”
The team face Samoa at Parana, Argentina in their fist match on June 5 before they go on to play Fiji at the same venue on June 9 and then New Zealand at Santa Fe on June 13.
Phil Davies says he is hoping the squad can challenge for a place in the later stages of the competition and they head for Argentina with confidence.
He added: “We have three very physical pool opponents in Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand but coming up against teams we don’t usually meet will in itself be a great experience for our players.
“This will be the last tournament of Under 20 rugby for a number of our players but in the last two seasons many of those players will have played against England and France three times along with Australia and New Zealand which is fantastic for the development of the players.
“We have lost two players through injury and while that is disappointing it gives other players an opportunity to show what they can do. Fourteen of the 26 man squad have played regional rugby already and when you look at the likes of Tavis Knoyle, who is still eligible to play for us, on the senior tour to New Zealand, that is a great testament to the Scarlets and to the international pathway system. Tavis is a great player to coach and we wish him all the best.
“We were a little disappointed by our performance against England Academies a fortnight ago but I’m confident that after a break and now that we have regrouped as a squad we will rediscover the kind of cohesion we displayed during the Six Nations.”
Wales Under 20 squad for IRB Junior World Championship (Argentina, June 5 – 21):
Forwards: Dan Watchurst (capt, Dragons academy / Bedwas), Will Taylor (Ospreys academy / Bonymaen), Joe Rees (Tonmawr), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets academy / Llandovery), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Ieuan Davies (Glamorgan Wanderers), James King (Ospreys academy / Aberavon), Joel Galley (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Lloyd Peers (Ospreys academy / Bridgend), James Thomas (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Josh Navidi (vice-capt, Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), Rhys Jenkins (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Toby Faletau (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), Morgan Allen (Pontypool)
Backs: Rhys Downes (vice-capt, Blues academy / Pontypridd), Gareth Davies (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys / Aberavon), Steven Shingler (Llanelli / Llangennech), Ashley Beck (Ospreys / Aberavon), Scott Williams (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Owen Williams (Blues academy / Cardiff), Ben John (Ospreys academy / Aberavon), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Newport), James Loxton (Blues academy / Cardiff), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys academy / Neath), Dan Fish (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers).
Wales Under 20 IRB Junior World Championship Pool Matches
Wales v Samoa June 5, Parana, Argentina
Wales v Fiji June 9, Parana
New Zealand v Wales June 13, Santa Fe
