Wales U20s name team for winner-takes-all clash as…

Wales U20s name team for winner-takes-all clash as they seek to right Six Nations wrongs

Wales U20s have resisted making a raft of changes as they prepare to face Italy in a winner-takes-all clash in Treviso on Wednesday (7pm UK time).

Both sides head into the final Pool B match with victories over Georgia and Scotland in the bank, knowing whoever comes out on top at Stadio Monigo will top the pool and face the winners of Pool A, South Africa, in the U20 Six Nations Summer Series. As added motivation, Byron Hayward's side will be looking to enact revenge on the Italians after falling to a 20-27 defeat to them at the end of their Six Nations campaign earlier this year.

Hayward makes just two changes in the pack, with Aberavon's Ben Williams coming in for his first start on the blindside flank. Dragons RFC's Ryan Woodman moves to No. 8 to accommodate him, with Morgan Morse dropping to the bench after starting against Georgia.

The other change sees Cardiff hooker Efan Daniel replace Exeter's Oli Burrows. Otherwise, it's the same side that defeated a physical Georgian side last week.

“I thought we fought back well and showed a lot of character in that game,” said Hayward.

“We went in 21-13 down at halftime and were in a battle, that’s for sure. Georgia were a very well organised and physical side so to dig ourselves out of the hole and come back with 17 unanswered points to get us to a 30-21 lead was on the back of good execution to start with, then character and fight to get the victory.

“Speaking to a lot of the players after the game and the days following, they had never experienced playing against a side like Georgia in terms of the physicality before. Some of these boys have played URC and senior rugby in England so it’s a great experience for them.”

Victory against Italy would see Wales take on South Africa on July 12 after they topped Pool A. And Hayward believes performances in this summer competition are a measure of how far the group have come since finishing fifth in the Six Nations.

“That was something Joe Hawkins mentioned post-match. He simply said that in the Six Nations we may not have come back from a deficit like that.

"With a home crowd behind them, Italy start as favourites but Hayward is optimistic his young side can overturn the defeat they suffered at Colwyn Bay in the Six Nations.

“They beat us in the Six Nations and they beat England so we know how tough it is going to be,” he said.

“They are unbeaten here and they are a very strong side. They have a powerful driving maul which is an area where we have had to focus on to make sure we are better at defending them because a lot of their tries have come from that area of the game.

“We know it is going to be a tough day defensively and I think it is going to be a real proper Test match - a good hard physical game and it could be a one score game either way.”

Wales U20s: Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby); Oli Andrew (Dragons RFC), Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys – Capt), Harri Houston (Ospreys); Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Morgan Lloyd (Dragons RFC); Rhys Barratt (Cardiff Rugby), Efan Daniel (Cardiff Rugby), Nathan Evans (Dragons RFC), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Williams (Aberavon), Ethan Fackrell (Cardiff Rugby), Ryan Woodman (Dragons RFC).

Replacements: Oli Burrows (Exeter Chiefs), Cameron Jones (Ospreys), Adam Williams (Cardiff Rugby), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby), Morgan Morse (Ospreys), Luke Davies (Llanelli), Josh Phillips (Scarlets), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Joe Westwood (Dragons RFC), Iestyn Hopkins (Ospreys), Caleb Salmon (Scarlets)

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