With the annual fixture against the Nike New Zealand Youth XV due to be played at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, 5 December (kick-off 7.00pm), the weekend run out will act as a final trial.
“We’ve got a lot of good talent to run our eyes over and the trial game at Aldershot will be very important for us as we try to find the best team to meet the young Kiwis,” said Davey.
“We’ve left out six players who were with us last season in order to give as many players as possible a chance to impress and we’re confident we’ll have another highly competitive team this season.”
Now in his seventh year as coach to the Wales Under 21 side, Davey saw his WRU President’s Under 21 XV run out 28-7 victors against the New Zealanders last season. That victory was the launch pad for another Grand Slam season and fifth place in the Under 21 World Cup.
Hookers Huw Bennett and Kieron Crawford, prop John Yapp, lock Luke Charteris, back row man James Malpas and centre David Bishop have been excluded from the trip to Aldershot, but will come back into the reckoning for next month’s fixture.
Crawford and Bishop both played in last season’s fixture, as did skipper Paul James, half backs Nicky Robinson and Michael Phillips and flanker Jon Thomas, all of who went on to win full caps within the next 10 months.
Wales Under 21 Team A: Leon Andrews (Cardiff); Ifan Evans (Llandovery), Richard Davies (Carmarthen Quins), Lee Thomas (Pontypridd), Matthew Nuthall (Warriors); Matthew Jones (Neath), Richard Rees (Swansea); David Maddocks (Llanelli), Will Kay (Newcastle Falcons), Nathan Williams (Llanelli), Chris Waring (London Welsh), Mark Jones (Llanelli), Tom Brown (Hartpury College), Richie Pugh (Ospreys, captain), Richard Dale (Newport).
Wales Under 21 Team B: Ceirion Thomas (Llanelli); Steve Ireland (Cardiff), Richard Payne (Newport), Gavin Evans (Llanelli), Viv Jenkins (Llanelli); Gareth McCarthy (Cardiff), James Ireland (Cross Keys); Cai Griffiths (Neath), Andrew Littlehales (Swansea), Scott Roberts (Pontypridd), Gavin Quinnell (Llanelli), Greg Walsh (London Welsh), Jonathan Edwards
(Pontypridd), James Merriman (Gloucester), Gareth Williams (Pontypridd).
