Ebbw Vale’s James Thomas will captain the East, with Aberavon’s James King leading the West. Both players were key to Phil Davies’ Under 20 side last season and will be looking to set a good example in front of the selectors.
Other players involved who represented Wales Under 20 last season are Pontypridd and Blues academy scrum half Rhys Downes, James Loxton, Matthew Pewtner, Rhys Jenkins and Dan Watchurst who are starting for the East, with Craig Attwell and Josh Navidi on the bench and Ospreys and Neath wing Kristian Phillips, Scott Williams, Matthew Jarvis and Simon Gardiner who are starting for the West.
West head coach Kevin George said, “We’ve told our players that this is their first real opportunity to put a marker down for the season. They have played a lot of Premiership rugby but now the selectors want to see how they can express themselves against their peers.”
East head coach Gethin Watts said, “The way these teams have come together has thrown up a number of interesting head to head situations. It will be good to see the progression of some experienced players from last season, the exciting young talent from last year’s Under 18s, along with some late developers and players that are new to international age grade rugby such as Dan Fish, Toby Faletau and Dean Gunter.”
East Wales: Dan Fish; Ryan Healey (Blues), Matthew Pewtner (Blues), Dean Gunter (Dragons), James Loxton (Blues); James Roblin (Dragons), Rhys Downes (Blues); Lewis Smout (Blues), Ieuan Davies (Blues), Dan Watchurst (Dragons), Macauley Cook (Blues), Rhydian Wilson (Dragons), James Thomas (Dragons, capt), Rhys Jenkins(Dragons), Toby Faletau (Dragons)
Replacements: Craig Attwell (Dragons), Dan Evans (Blues), Ben Lee (Blues), Jonathan Barley (Blues), Tom Crandon (Dragons), Josh Navidi (Blues), Lloyd Peart (Blues), Owen Williams (Blues), Nicky Williams (Dragons)
West Wales: Lee Rees (Scarlets); Dale Ford (Scarlets) , Kristian Phillips (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Chris Lewis (Ospreys); Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys), Gareth Davies Scarlets); Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Greg George (Scarlets), Simon Gardiner (Scarlets), Ben Davies (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys capt), Edward Siggery (Scarlets), Ellis Lloyd (Scarlets), Ben Thomas (Ospreys)
Replacements: Rowan Jenkins (Scarlets), Will Taylor (Ospreys), Gareth Harvey (Ospreys), Luke Lewis (Scarlets), Adam Evans (Ospreys), James Davies (Scarlets), Dan Davies (Ospreys), Steve Shingler (Scarlets)
