Young hopefuls prepare for Ospreys chance

The Ospreys will host a training session featuring players nominated for inclusion in their new U20 squad on Wednesday 12th January, ahead of a trial match against a District Select Team next week.

Ospreys players Ryan Bevington, Ian Gough, Jamie Nutbrown and Nikki Walker will be on hand to help deliver the training session at Llandarcy Academy of Sport between 6 and 8pm, as part of their own ongoing development as they look to complete their coaching qualifications.

The new U20 set-up are an 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 three Districts have already introduced U17 and U19 teams for the first time this season, with the latter set to feed directly into the new Ospreys U20 set-up.

By relaunching the higher age-grade set-up, two years after the WRU Regional Age Grade Championships came to an end at U20, the Ospreys are providing a formalised structure that will allow late developing players the opportunity to catch the eye who under the existing system may have been lost to the region.

Following next week’s invitational training session, U20’s Head Coach Richard Lancaster and Assistant Coach, Aled Thomas, will prepare a team to face a District Select team at Llandarcy on Wednesday 19thJanuary, kick-off 7.15pm.

Training sessions will then take place through the season until competitive fixtures against RGC 1404 and Combined Services.