No Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza, Mason Grady and Joe Hawkins for Wales U20 this season?
It would take a brave person to say ‘no problem’.
But, still, Wales U20 head coach Byron Hayward’s job is to develop the next crop of talented youngsters good enough to step up.
The four players named above are now in Wales’ senior squad for the Six Nations, just six months or so after featuring in age-grade rugby.
The challenge for Hayward is to find their successors in this year's U20 Six Nations.
Plenty of them are young for this age-grade, but there are also some who are already showing considerable promise.
We look at those who could shine over the coming couple of months.
Harri Ackerman (Dragons)
A name worth remembering. The Dragons academy product hasn’t long turned 18, but he’s rated highly out east and is seen as a player who is going places. A product of Islwyn High School, he is a hard-runner who has pace, smart handling skills and can offload.
When he made his debut for Cross Keys in the autumn, aged just 17, he scored two tries. When he played for Newport against RGC 1404 recently, he looked the best back on the field. He also notched a brace for Byron Hayward’s team in this month's friendly against Poland.
It’s a tough ask for one so young to be playing under-20s rugby, but the word on the grapevine is there are not many better prospects in the Welsh age-grade game.
Ryan Woodman (Dragons)
Here’s another likely lad, who so impressed Byron Hayward last term that the head coach was moved to suggest he’d ‘stick his life’ on Woodman playing for Wales at the 2027 World Cup. Let’s hope that goes OK, then.
Like Harri Ackerman, Woodman is only 18. But the 6ft 4in, 17st back rower or lock has already made his Dragons debut, and he’s among the main candidates for the Wales U20s captaincy this term. Again, the words ‘this’, ‘watch’ and ‘space’ come to mind, though not necessarily in that order.
Jonny Green (Harlequins)
The second row was picked to play for Harlequins U18s at the age of just 15, underlining his precocious talent. Just last October he featured in a NextGen World U18 dream team selection. Qualifying for Wales via his mother, the 18-year-old is 6ft 6in and 17st 5lb and has excelled at every level he has played. In the recent friendly against Poland, he showed up well at the lineouts and around the park. Has started for Harlequins in the Premiership Cup. Quite the talent, then.
Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby)
The other Welsh lad named in the NextGen dream selection, the centre cut his teeth in Cardiff’s academy before heading over the border, shining for Hartpury College as they won the ACE League title, supplying power and skill in midfield, backed by an ability to find space. He also shone for Wales U20s against Poland, dovetailing nicely with Harri Ackerman.
Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby)
A back-five forward from Cardiff Rugby who has a big carrying game and seems to be settling at No. 8. He led Wales U20s out in their friendly against Scotland U20s recently and is developing into a useful lineout operator. Nor is he afraid to put himself about. A former title winner with Cardiff and Vale College, Martin is seen as a player who could come through.
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Oli Andrew (Dragons)
Scored a try hat-trick in Newport’s win over Merthyr in the Indigo Welsh Premiership last month and has helped the Black and Ambers rise up the table. There are some quality players being nurtured in the Dragons’ region and the wing is one of them.
Archie Hughes (Scarlets)
The quicksilver scrum-half may not be the biggest but he’s fast and skilful. When he made his debut for the Scarlets against Nottingham in the summer of 2021, the Archers didn’t know what had hit them. Hughes scored two tries and could have had a third, only to unselfishly pass to a team-mate. He’s the latest model to roll off the Scarlets’ scrum-half conveyor belt, with Harri Williams also one to watch.
Harri Houston (Ospreys)
Describe Harri Houston? So ran the question to a close observer of U20s rugby in Wales. “Quick,” came back the answer. The Ospreys and Swansea youngster also looks for work and has a happy knack of scoring important tries. A product of Loughor RFC, the wing is hard shackle.
Dan Edwards (Ospreys)
The fly-half from Cwmavon is being nurtured by James Hook at Swansea and is said to be making progress as a No. 10 who likes to run. He also spends time helping out with the coaching of Aberavon Schools in the Dewar Shield.
Morgan Morse (Ospreys)
The Ospreys youngster has been injured but he played for Wales U20s at the age of 17 last term and is considered exceptional. There’s a debate about his best position in the back row, with Morse able to perform well in all three roles. The back rower from Cwmtwrch RFC carries strongly, hits hard in defence and is said to possess a winning mindset.
Ospreys pathway manager Gareth Walters first came across him when viewing a Dewar Shield match when the then fresh-faced forward appeared off the bench, a year younger than others in the team. He later reported: “Watching the things that he was doing, I had to turn around and ask some students sitting behind me: ‘Who the heck is that kid?’
“They said: ‘That’s Morgan Morse. He’s actually a year younger.’
“You only had to watch him for a few minutes to realise he had a lot to offer.”
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