Wales Under-20 head coach Phil Davies has named a 27-man squad for the forthcoming Under-20 RBS 6 Nations Championship.
The squad includes four players with professional regional experience including last season’s Principality Premiership Best Newcomer, Dragons utility back Jason Tovey.
Tovey has made 10 appearances for the Gwent region, including eight starts since his debut against the Ospreys last April, while the other players in the squad with professional experience are Ospreys backs Ashley Beck and Kristian Phillips and Dragons prop Aaron Coundley.
Jason Tovey, along with Glamorgan Wanderers prop Scott Andrews and Cross Keys lock Ashley Sweet were members of the Wales Under-20 squad that reached the semi-finals of the Junior World Championship in Wales last season.
Bridgend number eight Rory Pitman returns to the squad for the second successive season after missing out on the inaugural Junior World Championship.
Davies has named a list of 10 reserve players who could be called into the RBS 6 Nations squad at any time as a result of injuries or lack of form, and a further nine stand-by players.
Davies said: “Age group rugby is all about developing players so that they fully understand what international rugby is all about.
“Leigh Halfpenny and has already made the step-up into professional regional and international rugby from last year’s Under-20 squad and Dan Biggar, Jason Tovey and Jonathan Davies are all now playing regularly for their professional regions.”
Wales Under-20 RBS 6 Nations squad:
Backs: James Loxton (Blues academy/Glamorgan Wanderers), Dai Langdon (Dragons academy/Ebbw Vale), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys/Neath), Ryan Healy (Glamorgan Wanderers), Ashley Beck (Ospreys/Aberavon), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy/Bedwas), Matthew Pewtner (Dragons academy/Cross Keys), Rhys Downes (Blues academy/Pontypridd), Gareth Davies (Scarlets academy/Llanelli), James Leadbetter (Cross Keys), Jason Tovey (Dragons), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy/Neath) Forwards: Aaron Coundley (Dragons academy/Ebbw Vale), Scott Andrews (Blues academy/Glamorgan Wanderers), Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy/Bedwas), Simon Gardener (Scarlets Academy/Llanelli), Rhys Williams (Blues academy/Pontypridd), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy/Newbridge), James King (Ospreys academy/Aberavon), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy/Cross Keys), Sam Paylor (Pontypool), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Jake Thomas (Cardiff), Josh Navidi (Blues academy/Glamorgan Wanderers), Rory Pitman (Ospreys academy/Bridgend), James Thomas (Dragons academy/Ebbw Vale).
