The Ospreys will once again be running a team at U20 level this season, the third consecutive year that a team has operated at that age level since it was reintroduced two years ago.
They will return to action as they battle their West Walian rivals, the Scarlets at Llandarcy tomorrow evening (KO 7.15pm)
This age-grade set up is a part of an enhanced development pathway which sees the Ospreys working closely in conjunction with the three District set-ups in the region, Afan Nedd, Bridgend and Swansea.
The Ospreys want to increase the number of young people playing rugby within the region and by doing so, will also increase the talent pool available to them. The higher age-grade set-up allows Ospreys development staff to work with late developing players, who under the previous system may have been lost to the region as they move out of age-grade rugby, benefiting the rugby community right across the region. The Ospreys previously competed in the WRU Regional Age Grade Championships at U20 level, but that competition ended following the 2008/09 season.
Richard Lancaster, from Swansea University, will resume his position as head coach of the U20’s.
He said: “The U20 setup provides these boys with an excellent opportunity to show the region what talent is still available to us. Although they may have fallen out of the Ospreys system, they now have another chance to impress and show their worth as young rugby players.
“Even if they don’t make it at regional level, the U20 system is also a benefit to Premiership or Championship clubs around the region. We don’t want to lose these players completely and the U20 set-up helps encourage these youngsters to play rugby and increase the amount of quality players available to the whole region.”
The first chance to impress for many of these players comes against a Scarlets team tomorrow.
Ospreys U20 team versus Scarlets, Llandarcy, Weds 28 Nov 2012, KO 7.15pm
15 Josh Miles
14 Gwyn Davies
13 Adam Mort
12 Dai Evans
11 Keir Burrows
10 Josh Hammett
9 Luke Holleyman
1 Fenton Holder
2 Tom Cole
3 Jordan Collins
4 Craig Evans
5 Josh Walker
6 Rhys Samuel
7 Dai Griggs
8 Jamie Evans
REPLACEMENTS
Tom Evans, Scott Kelly, Adam Scanlon, Declan Norman, Joe Williams, Ben Scott-Thomas, Gareth Davies, Gareth Lindeburn, Rhodri Cole, Ryan Pugh, Lewis Salter, Sean Ford, Chris Price, James Woods, Shaun Tennant
5.45pm Meet
6.30pm Warm Up
Jerseys only supplied – please bring shorts and socks.
Ospreys contact Graham Court, Mobile 07587 176948.