Some of the region’s brightest prospects for the future will be making history this weekend as they compete in the IRB Junior World Championship Final against England in France on Sunday afternoon.
It was a proud moment for Scarlets supporters as the region with the largest proportion of players (7) in a Wales U20 side that secured a place in the final by beating World Champions South Africa in a thrilling semi-final victory 18-17
And now the Scarlets’ next generation will be stepping up in a bid to win the World title and with it gain valuable experience to bring back into their regional campaign in the new 2013/14 season.
It’s positive news for the Scarlets as a group of talented young players from the U20’s squad and academy are handed development contracts to train with the senior squad for next season and beyond including:
- Aaron Warren (Wing); Llandovery
- Dion Jones (Full Back); Llanelli
- Gareth Thomas (Prop); Carmarthen
- Carwyn Jones (Second Row); Carmarthen
- Sion Bennett (Backrow); Carmarthen
- Lewis Rawlins (Backrow); Llanelli
Steffan Hughes (Centre), Llanelli, will move into his 2nd Year in the Scarlets Senior Academy; with Jordan Williams and Rhodri Williams on senior regional contracts and Daniel Thomas, Lewis continuing on his development contract.
The campaign has been a huge success under Scarlets and Wales coach Danny Wilson who said the experience of world-class opposition at this level would prove hugely beneficial for the players’ development in the future.
Scarlets Forwards Coach, Danny Wilson said: “Of course we were all elated on Tuesday evening to get that win; the players showed real character and spirit to come back and seal that victory and never gave up. It was a remarkable performance to beat the World Champions.
“It was a great way to finish to turn that game around with some individual brilliance combining to change the game thanks to Jordan Williams, Sam Davies and Ashley Evans and just shows the real ambition these young players have.
“It’s been exciting to witness the spark that Jordan (Williams) has shown in this campaign – he has been a stand-out player in the tournament and there’s no doubt a motivated Jordan Williams can bring something very special to the field.
“The opportunity to play in a World Championship final on Sunday is a dream come true for these players and an experience they will never forget and they will learn so much from. They have worked hard and shown real commitment throughout and this is their opportunity now and their reward.
“We believe that as U20 coaches, developing players is not just about exposure to big games and the experience gained from high pressure situations; it’s also about players learning how to win big games.
“It’s a great showcase for player development in the Northern Hemisphere to have two teams England and Wales competing in the final.
“There will be a lot of pressure on these players on Sunday but they are in a very good place mentally, there’ll be no problem with motivating them on the back of wins against New Zealand last year and South Africa this year. We know we have a good chance against England who will be very competitive and have some key threats in their team.”
Wilson said that as a Scarlets Coach, he has been very encouraged by the performances given by the region’s emerging players – plenty for 2013/14 season members to be excited about at Parc y Scarlets next season.
“It’s been a very positive campaign for the Scarlets players, who will come back with energy and motivation. The challenges of high-pressure games will help them mentally when they have to step up amid fierce competition in either the RaboDirect or Heineken Cup battles next season.
“As development players we have to balance their ambition and energy with giving them plenty of support as they progress as players – it’s not going to happen overnight.”
Scarlets President Phil Bennett said: “It is a source of great pride for our region to see how many young Scarlets players have got to the final of the Junior World Championship.
“It demonstrates that there is a huge amount of talent in our region and the development pathways are working well; and we can be positive and feel excited in the knowledge that this will underpin our success in future years.
Parc y Scarlets’ Heart and Soul café will be open to supporters to watch Wales take on England in their first ever final. There will be screenings of;
- Saturday 22nd June: Australia v Lions kick-off 11.05am
- Sunday 23rd June: Wales Under 20 v England Under 20 kick-off 5.45pm”
The deadline for Scarlets season members to renew their seats at Parc y Scarlets is 5pm this Friday 21st June 2013
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