Wales WU18s will prepare for the Six Nations festival with two warm-up games against Italy WU18s in Treviso on Sunday, March 16th and will welcome Scotland to Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday, March 30th.
Lillicrap will be joined by former Wales fly half Elinor Snowsil and former Wales sevens player Lloyd Evans in the coaching team.
The WU18s Six Nations festival is being held between April 9th and April 20th, with three game days on Friday April 11th, Tuesday April 15th and Saturday April 19th, and is being held at Wellington College in England.
The Wales extended training squad has been selected from a variety competitions and training bases but the six-team WSC Rugby competition has been a standout competition this year coupled with the progress of the WRU’s three Player Development Centres (PDCS) in RGC, Swansea University and Cardiff Met University.
The squad includes ten players who were capped in the same event held at Colwyn Bay in 2024 and with 23 players from PDC East, ten from PDC West, Seven from PDC North and one player from the Wales Exiles programme.
More than 80 players have been involved in the PDC Development Training Group since January, and have had ‘Academy’ style focus on their physical development, analysis and rugby developed focussed training.
The squad includes Charlie Williams, a Welsh Qualified player who plays at Havant Rugby Club in England, and was spotted through the WRU’s Wales Exiles programme.
Siwan Lillicrap, Wales WU18s Head coach, said: “All coaches have been exceptionally impressed with the performances and progress they have seen from players in this age group throughout the season so far.
“It was a real headache for the selectors to pick 41 players as the strength in depth has been exceptional this year.
“I am confident we have a strong, competitive group of players. But the hard work starts now. We have an exciting block of training ahead where we will challenge, test, and work hard, giving these players the best opportunity to develop and grow over the coming months.
“This is an exciting group of young players, and the staff can’t wait to get started.”
WALES WU18s Extended Training Squad:
FORWARDS: Crystal James (PDC East), Georgia Morgan (PDC East Dev), Begw Jones (PDC North Dev), Shanelle Williams (PDC East), Tia Jones (PDC East), Lois Jones (PDC West Dev), Evie Hill (PDC East), Ciara Taylor (PDC West), Salome Tuliakiono (PDC East Dev), Rhoswen Jones (PDC East Dev), Tegan Bendall (PDC East Dev), Cara Mercier (North PDC), Erin Jones (PDC West Dev), Mia-Haf Bowen (PDC West Dev), Chiara Pearce (PDC East ), Jorja Aiono (PDC West), Amelia Bailey (PDC East Dev), Izzy Jones (PDC North), Taufa Tuipulotu (PDC East Dev), Chloe Roblin (PDC East Dev), Abigail Richards (PDC West Dev), Charlie Williams (WELSH Exiles), Grace Boyd (PDC East Dev)
BACKS: Lily Hawkins (PDC East), Breannagh Davidson (PDC West Dev), Efa Parry (PDC North Dev), Ffion Williams (PDC North), Sienna McCormack (PDC East Dev), Megan Jones (PDC East Dev), Isla McMullen (PDC East), Katie Johnson (PDC East), Hanna Tudor (PDC North), Ffion Tune (PDC West Dev), Eden Skuse (PDC East Dev), Saran Jones (PDC North), Meg Thomas (PDC East Dev), Ellie May Williams (PDC West Dev), Freya Perry (PDC East Dev), Lily Foscolo (PDC East Dev), Beatrice Morgan (PDC West Dev), Kacey Morkot (PDC East Dev).
