Jason Strange has named six Ospreys in his team to face Scotland this Friday in the U20 Six Nations match in Colwyn Bay (20:15).
The line-up includes three players who impressed for the region in last weekend’s Anglo Welsh Cup tie against Gloucester, with Cai Evans and Callum Carson making their debuts at 15 and 12, with back rower Morgan Morris on the bench after making an incredible 20 carries in that match, the highest of any player in Round 3 of the competition.
There is another Osprey making his debut at scrum-half, the highly rated Harri Morgan named in the starting line-up, while Dewi Lake and Rhys Henry included in the replacements.
Bridgend lock Jack Pope, who has represented the Ospeys at age-grade level, also starts.
In all, 15 players could make their bow at this level. Leicester Tigers’ Tommy Reffell, who captained Wales U18 to some notable victories last season, has the honour of leading his country once again.
The core of that Wales U18 backline continues this Friday, with Ospreys trio Harri Morgan (scrum-half), Callum Carson (centre) and Cai Evans (fullback) all set to run out against the Scots.
Reffell leads from an all-new back row featuring Scarlets openside Dan Davies and Dragons number eight Taine Basham – the latter having made his full regional debut for the Men of Gwent earlier this month.
Newcomer Sam Wainwright will have the privilege of starting for Wales U20 at his home ground at Stadiwm Zip World (formerly Parc Eirias), with the RGC tighthead having impressed in the Principality Premiership this season.
There is an element of continuity, with seven of the starting line-up having featured for the U20s last season, including second row partners Max Williams (Dragons) and Jack Pope (Bridgend).
“We’ve got a lot of promising youngsters in there – many of them still eligible for U18s – but we had a very young squad last season too,” explains head coach Strange, “which means we can benefit from the return of players like Ben Jones and Rhys Carre.
“We saw what a lot of these new boys are capable of during their time with the U18s last year, so it’s up to them to step up and show us what they can do in the U20s shirt in front of what is a terrific crowd in North Wales."
Wales U20 will take on Scotland as part of a double-header with the women's teams, with the latter kicking off their Women's Six Nations match at 18:00 this Friday.
Wales U20 team to face Scotland
15 Cai Evans (Ospreys)*
14 Joe Goodchild (Dragons)
13 Corey Baldwin (Scarlets)
12 Callum Carson (Ospreys)*
11 Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets)
10 Ben Jones (Cardiff Blues)
9 Harri Morgan (Ospreys)*
1 Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues)
2 Iestyn Harris (Cardiff Blues)*
3 Sam Wainwright (RGC)*
4 Jack Pope (Bridgend)
5 Max Williams (Dragons)
6 Tommy Reffell (c) (Leicester Tigers)*
7 Dan Davies (Scarlets)*
8 Taine Basham (Dragons)*
Replacements
16 Dewi Lake (Ospreys)*
17 Josh Reynolds (Dragons)*
18 Rhys Henry (Ospreys)*
19 Morgan Jones (Scarlets)*
20 Morgan Morris (Ospreys)
21 Dan Babos (Dragons)*
22 Ben Thomas (Cardiff Blues)*
23 Tommy Rogers (Scarlets)*
*Uncapped at U20 level