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The Future of Rugby: Wales U23

Aaron Wainwright scoring for Wales against France in the RWC quarter-final. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Following on from our examination of the future Australian options, the latest in RugbyPass’ ‘Future of Rugby’ series takes a look at a potential U23 XV for the sixth-ranked side in the world, Wales.

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Head coach Wayne Pivac will have to look to plenty of these talented youngsters as he aims to build a squad capable of challenging for the Rugby World Cup in 2023, especially as a number of the nations’ incumbents could well have played in their last tournament out in Japan in 2019.

For the purposes of the XV below, only players aged 23 or younger on May 1st 2020 were considered eligible.

  1. Ioan Lloyd, Bristol Bears

Wales doesn’t lack for silky running full-backs, with Mat Protheroe, Carwyn Penny and Will Talbot-Davies also in the mix here, but in Lloyd they potentially have a difference-maker at the highest level. Whether at 10 or 15, Lloyd’s acceleration, footwork and distribution allows him to create and finish attacking opportunities with equal abandon.

  1. Louis Rees-Zammit, Gloucester

Few players have ever made the seamless transition from junior rugby to senior rugby that Rees-Zammit has over the past eight months. He has bypassed U20 rugby this season and gone straight into involvement with the senior Wales side, on the back of a number of eye-catching performances for Gloucester in the Gallagher Premiership. An honourable mention, too, for the Scarlets’ Ryan Conbeer.

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  1. Owen Watkin, Ospreys

A nod to Exeter-bound Corey Baldwin who could flourish and push himself back into contention, though this spot is an easy call with Watkin available. In addition to already breaking through for Wales, Watkin has been a consistent and effective performer in an Ospreys team that has struggled to live up to the glories of their past.

  1. Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Ospreys

Again, there are no shortage of potential options here for Wales, with Kieran Williams and Aneurin Owen offering a lot of potential, albeit if relatively unproven at the senior level currently. Thomas-Wheeler is still making his way, but he combines the innate physical ability that is needed to flourish at inside centre, with a solid distribution skill set that allows him to hurt teams in multiple ways in a dynamic and versatile midfield.

  1. Owen Lane, Cardiff Blues

Lane’s rise over the past couple of seasons has been noteworthy and won him his senior debut for Wales last year. Like Watkin, he has been a part of a regional side that has had its fair share of struggles in recent campaigns, although that hasn’t prevented him from positively impacting the side and turning in consistent performances.

  1. Jarrod Evans, Cardiff Blues

Evans’ place here will come under plenty of threat from Sam Costelow and Lloyd in the coming seasons, but for now he is the next in line for the 10 jersey. The fly-half has already made his international debut and has seemingly surpassed Sam Davies as the heir apparent to Dan Biggar’s vice-like grip on the starting fly-half spot.

  1. Reuben Morgan-Williams, Ospreys

Electric around the fringes and boasting a sharp pass, Morgan-Williams is built in the mould of the Gareth Davies and Tomos Williams one-two punch that has brought so much success for Wales in recent seasons. He has sevens experience under his belt, too, and could be just a consistent run of games away from truly announcing himself on the senior stage.

  1. Rhys Carré, Saracens

If one of the Welsh regions can lure Carré back to Wales it will be a major coup for Pivac, with the athletically gifted loosehead one of the most promising players he has to call upon. He has taken his opportunities with Saracens well and is beginning to make good on the extraordinary levels of promise that he showed in the U20s.

  1. Dewi Lake, Ospreys

The Wales U20 captain from last season, Lake impressed everyone with the set-piece foundations he showed, as well as a more than solid contribution in the loose. Ryan Elias and Elliot Dee will have stronger claims on succeeding Ken Owens at present, but don’t be surprised to see Lake fully in the mix with them over the coming seasons.

  1. Leon Brown, Dragons

Bath’s Archie Griffin will be worth keeping an eye on, although it is senior international Brown who is currently the leading contender for Wales at the position in this age group. The Dragons will face a challenge keeping hold of Brown beyond next season, with plenty of interest in the tighthead from abroad and the other Welsh regions.

  1. Jac Price, Scarlets

Price is still young in second row terms, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to use his size effectively on the pitch. It’s going to be a challenge for Wales to fill the void left by the inevitable departure of the veteran Alun Wyn Jones and they will need players like Price to be ready to step up and impress at the Guinness PRO14 level.

  1. Max Williams, Dragons

A more mobile option than Price, Williams fits the mould of the modern second row that can also cover on the blindside, something which is becoming more and more en vogue. He is part of a cadre of talented Dragons forwards that have come through in recent seasons and should help form the core of the region’s pack moving forward.

  1. Aaron Wainwright, Dragons

Another Dragon here and there’s an honourable mention due for Harrison Keddie, with the versatile back rower an option at all three positions among the loose forwards. Wainwright was one of Wales’ standout players at the Rugby World Cup in Japan and looks to be locking down the six jersey for club and country at a canter.

  1. Taine Basham, Dragons

As ever in Wales, there is no shortage of options on the openside, with Will Jones, Tommy Reffell and Dan Davis chief among those pressing claims for recognition. Basham is a rare talent, though, and one who could yet find a home anywhere in the back row, much the same as his regional teammate, Keddie. Irrespective of where he does eventually pack down, it won’t be long before he is involved with the senior Wales side.

  1. Jac Morgan, Scarlets

A tough call between Morgan and Cardiff Blues’ Sam Moore, although the latter hasn’t quite kicked on as a senior player in the way that was hoped back when he was in the age-grades. Morgan, meanwhile, is beginning to take his opportunities with the Scarlets and offers a valuable ball-carrying element than it is not currently in abundance in Wales, due to the plethora of hard-working and jackalling flanks available.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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