Cardiff & Vale College, Ysgol Glantaf and Whitchurch HS made it a triple triumph for the Cardiff sides and now the best players from those three teams will combine with players from Coleg Y Cymoedd to go in pursuit of another title.
Cardiff kick-off their campaign at Aberavon next week when they meet the Ospreys, but it will be RGC and the Scarlets to launch the competition at Parc Eirias on Sunday.
Scarlets U18 head coach Euros Evans has named an extended squad of 43 players for the forthcoming games. Back row man Luca Giannini will skipper the side.
“It’s great to have the boys back preparing for rugby again and there is going to be a lot at stake in these matches. As well as Wales U18 selection, the Scarlets will also be keeping a close eye on performances over the coming weeks with a view to recruiting a new intake of academy players,” said Evans.
All the matches will be viewed by the WRU as identification fixtures for Wales U18, who will be selecting an extended training squad in preparation for the International Six Nations tournament that will be held over the Easter period.
The young Dragons warmed up for their opening fixture against the Ospreys at Caerphilly Centre of Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach, on 26 January by crushing Bristol U18 38-12. As well as relying on players from the two teams in the Welsh Schools & Colleges League, Coleg Gwent and Newport HS, they also have players from Monmouth School, Hartpury College, Clifton College, Seaford College and Llandovery College.
The Dragons have also confirmed a number of key appointments within their academy set-up. Former Dragons assistant coach, David Rees, is overseeing the ongoing work after re-joining the region as the new head of academy.
Rees will be responsible for establishing the academy’s culture in line with that of the senior side. He will be joined by another ex-Dragons coach and player, Shaun Connor, and former Scarlets No8 Jack Condy, who will work in the coaching team alongside Newport captain Matt O’Brien and Sam Hobbs.
Radu Basalau and Ellis Brindley will provide expert S&C support and Lewis Roberts will take up the new role of Pathway Manager. Backroom team members Nia Morgans (Sports Therapist) and Ryan Humphreys Thomas (Academy Performance Analyst) complete the Academy set-up.
Cardiff Rugby U18
Ioan Emmanuel, Kai Carnell, Mike Vaughan, Saul Hurley, Gavin Parry, Evan Wood, Callum Dawe, Owen Popple, Rhys Burleton, Ewan McIntyre, Tom Caple, Jack Payne, Kenzie Jenkins, Harper Chamberlain, Harry Beddall, Dewi Hobbs, Lucas de la Rua, Kian Evans, Orson James, Finn Charles, Jacob Symes, Harri Wilde, Tom Weekley, Ioan Evans, Morgan Bowen, Ethan Rudyj, Louis Hennessy-Booth, Louis Rochefort-Shugar, Ben Geraghty, Jac Davies, Matty Young, Sam HarrisDragons U18
Connor Lewis, Evan Davies, Ethan Evans, Harri Ackerman, Huw Anderson, Jake Wieneski, Kobi Rees, Lewis Robey, Matty Cotton, Morgan Williams, Sam Berry, Walker Price (Coleg Gwent), Alex Uwimana, Aneurin Jenkins, Charlie Harkins, Dan Wall, Gethyn Cannon, Jordan Morris, Will Gregory, Owen Osmond, Zak Roberts (Newport HS), Aidan Boshoff, Barney Thomas-Hewartson, Freddy Harding, Oscar Watkins, Shay Lewis, Tom Horan (Monmouth), Nick Thomas, Tye Davies, Sonny Greenman, Kallum Rosser (Hartpury), Tomoya Adachi, Leo Quigley (Clifton), Cam Davies (Merthyr), Charlie Birch (Tredegar), Oli Woodman (Caldicot), Conall Couch (Caerleon), Evan Minto (St Alban’s), Ioan Duggan (Cwm Rhymni), Jack Woods (Newbridge), Taran Moa (Llandovery), Will Rees (Seaford)Scarlets U18
Backs: Harry Fuller, Jac Davies, Dafydd Waters, Tom Edwards, Rhys Harris, James Price, Corey Morgan, Harrison Griffiths, Macs Page, Ieuan Bissel, Jayden Whitney-Williams, Iolo Griffiths, Josh Edwards, Luke Davies, Fraser Jones, Lucca Setaro, Tom Morgan, Iwan Hughes.Forwards: Josh Morse, Riley Williams, Luke Tucker, Joe Rees, Harri Thomas, Isaac Young, Alfie Fecci-Evans, Mason Lees, Ioan Lewis, Owain Powell, Rhys Lewis, Rhys Reed, Logan Sullivan, Oscar Fisher, Cian Trevalyan, Will Plessis, Will Hurley, Jac Delaney, Luca Giannini (capt), Ptolemy Alleyne
U18 REGIONAL AGE GRADE FIXTURES
Sunday, 16 January
RGC v Scarlets (Colwyn Bay)
Wednesday, 19 January
Ospreys v Cardiff (Aberavon)
Sunday, 23 January
Cardiff v RGC (Arms Park)
Wednesday, 26 January
Dragons v Ospreys (Ystrad Mynach)
Sunday, 30 January
RGC v Dragons (Colwyn Bay)
Wednesday, 2 February
Scarlets v Cardiff (Parc y Scarlets)
Sunday, 6 February
Ospreys v RGC (TBC)
Wednesday, 9 February
Dragons v Scarlets (Ystrad Mynach)
Wednesday, 16 February
Scarlets v Ospreys (Parc y Scarlets)
Cardiff v Dragons (Arms Park)
