Following a series of training sessions which culminated in a trial match against a Combined Districts U19 side, the Ospreys have announced an U20 squad that will work together for the remainder of the season, playing two matches as part of an extended player development pathway.
The new U20 squad is part of an enhanced programme for the 2010/11 season that has already seen changes made to the development pathway in conjunction with the three District set-ups in the region, Afan Nedd, Bridgend and Swansea, aimed at increasing the number of teenagers and young adults actively involved in the game, and therefore, increasing the talent pool available to the Ospreys.
The Ospreys previously competed in the WRU Regional Age Grade Championships at U20 level, but that competition ended following the 2008/09 season. Now, the Ospreys are once again bucking the trend by relaunching the higher age-grade set-up to allow late developing players the opportunity to catch the eye who under the existing system may have been lost to the region. The three Districts have already introduced U17 and U19 teams for the first time this season, with the latter feeding directly into the new Ospreys U20 set-up.
Ospreys U20 squad
Prop Luke Myatt
Prop Ian Williams
Prop Rhodri Apsee
Prop Gareth Thomas
Hooker Rhys Thomas
Hooker Ceri Davies
Second Row Jon Davies
Second Row Luke Joseph
Second Row Trystan Herdman
Back Row Scott Hicks
Back Row Tom Carney
Back Row Richard Smart
Back Row Sean Derrick
Scrum Half Tom Barry
Scrum Half Rhys Bevan
Outside Half Aaron Jones
Outside Half Corey Butler
Centre Lewis Chance
Centre Huw Grundy
Centre Josh Austin
Wing Jackson Szabo
Wing Lewis Harry
Wing Andrew Claypole
Full Back Mike Powell
Full Back Will Hodnott
Full Back Chad Plunchard
The schedule for the squad is currently as follows:
7 March Training at Llandarcy 20.00-21.00
4 April Training at Llandarcy 20.00-21.00
11 April Training at Llandarcy 20.00-21.00
15 April Team Run at Llandarcy 19.00 - 20.00
17 April GAME V N WALES 14.30
18 April Review at Llandarcy 20.00-21.00
25 April Training at Llandarcy 10.00 - 11.00
29 April Team Run at Llandarcy 10.00 - 11.00
1 May GAME V ARMY 14.30
Richard Lancaster, Head Coach of the new Ospreys U20 team, said:
“I’m really pleased with the initial selection however we will be monitoring the upcoming District matches to ensure we haven’t missed any players.
“The clubs and District sides have been fantastic in their support of this team and its encouraging they are pushing their players to play at the highest level possible.
“The schedule for the players is quite light to ensure we are impacting in a minimal way on their existing club and district commitments.”