Head coach Richard Whiffin has named his Wales side to face Spain on Wednesday in round three of the U20 World Championship at Payanini Center, Verona (KO 2.30 UK time).
Harri Wilde and Elijah Evans are the sole survivors from the backline that played against France in round two while Ioan Emanuel, Deian Gwynne and captain Harry Beddall retain their places in the pack as Whiffin gives a number of players their first starts of the campaign.
Ospreys’ Lewis Edwards will earn his first cap at full-back while there is a new centre partnership with Scarlets’ Elis Price and Cardiff Rugby’s Osian Darwin-Lewis getting the nod.
Up front Pontypool hooker Evan Wood gets his first taste of action in the championship with Scarlets Jake Bowen called on to the replacements bench as Harry Thomas and Saul Hurley work their way through HIA protocols.
Exeter Chiefs lock Luke Evans joins the returning Nick Thomas in the second row with Gloucester flanker Caio James starting on the openside.
“We said from the start to the boys in the squad that we have 30 players we are comfortable in playing and starting and we’ve stuck to that by giving some guys an opportunity that have been patiently waiting and they now get their chance against Spain,” said Whiffin.
Scarlets hooker Jake Bowen gets an unexpected call-up to the bench after two hookers were ruled out due to HIA protocols, but Whiffin has no qualms about throwing him in at the deep end.
“We spoke to all the guys who were in the training camp who were unfortunate not to make the plane. We said that they have to stay ready and switched on because things can change quickly. We’ve lost both hookers to HIA’s from the weekend therefore Jake gets his opportunity.”
Wales travelled to Italy intent on making the semi-finals but narrow defeats to Argentina and France they are now aiming to finish fifth in the championship.
“You have to reassess and pivot and that is something we spoke to the leadership group about over the last couple of days. We were very close in both games and both games could have gone differently but we are where we are. Yes, the boys are disappointed but more so because they know they competed well in both games and they feel that they have probably not got what they deserved.
“If we win our last three games we will finish fifth so that would certainly be one of the better finishes achieved in the last few years, so that is the target,” added Whiffin.
To achieve that feat, Wales will have to brush aside Spain who nearly caused an upset in the last round before going down 33-30 to Argentina.
“They challenged Argentina incredibly well, they obviously got off to a flier,” said Whiffin,
“They have got some very deceptive backs, good feet with ability to beat defenders. They have a pack that will challenge us at set-piece. Like any team they have got plenty of threats. You only have to look at the Argentina game to see they are a dangerous side – they pushed them all the way and were unlucky not to win the game.”
Wales U20 v Spain U20, Payanini Center, Verona, Wednesday 9 July, KO 2.30 UK
15 Lewis Edwards (Ospreys, uncapped)
14 Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby, 9 caps)
13 Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby, 1 cap)
12 Elis Price (Scarlets, 4 caps)
11 Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears, 12 caps)
10 Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby, 19 caps)
9 Ellis Lewis (Neath, 2 caps);
1 Ioan Emanuel (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
2 Evan Wood (Pontypool, 5 caps)
3 Jac Pritchard (Scarlets, 2 caps)
4 Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps)
5 Nick Thomas (Dragons, 12 caps)
6 Deian Gwynne (Gloucester, 6 caps)
7 Caio James (Gloucester, 5 caps)
8 Harry Beddall (c) (Dragons, 13 caps)
Replacements
16 Jake Bowen (Scarlets, uncapped)
17 Owain James (Dragons, 5 caps)
18 Sam Scott (Bristol Bears, 17 caps)
19 Dan Gemine
20 Evan Minto (Dragons 7 caps)
21 Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby, 6 caps)
22 Harri Ford (Dragons, 16 caps)
23 Jack Woods (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)
