The squad includes 22 players from last season’s Wales U19 squad which reached the semi-finals of the IRB U19 World Championships in Belfast. It includes Llanelli and Scarlets full-back Daniel Evans, Maesteg and Ospreys outside-half Gareth Owen, October’s Principality Premiership Player of the Month: Llandovery lock Haydn Pugh and Glamorgan Wanderers and Blues Academy No.8 Sam Warburton and is bolstered by the return to fitness and form of regional Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.
The squad also includes former Queensland Academy scrum-half Luke Evans and a number of promising players from last year’s U18 squad such as outside halves Dan Biggar and Jason Tovey, scrum half Lloyd Williams – son of former Wales and Lions scrum half Brynmor – props Scott Andrews and Aaron Coundley, back row forwards Justin Tipuric and Rory Pitman and lock Ashley Sweet.
Dan Franks and Rhys Lawrence, who missed out on last year’s IRB U19 World Championship, are back in the fold while Cardiff and Blues U20 wing Nathan Rees has been named after impressive recent performances.
Horgan, who is also Ebbw Vale Head Coach said: “We have spent a lot of time watching all these players in the Principality Premiership and the Reebok Regional age grade competition. Now looking forward to meeting up at regular training sessions in the run-up to Christmas before we cut the squad down to 26 in time for the U20 Six Nations competition.
“We are building on last season’s U19 squad, which is topped up by some of outstanding players from last season’s U18 squad such as Dan Biggar, Scott Andrews and Jason Tovey. We are all excited about the season ahead.
“We know that there is quality within this squad and it will be interesting to see how the players react to our forthcoming training sessions as we prepare for the U20 Six Nations. Some players, like Dai Langdon and Rhys Webb, are out of action through injury at the moment, although they could well make a return to the squad during the course of the season.”
Wales U20 Training Squad –Â 2007-2008
Full-back: Daniel Evans (Scarlets), Luke Hathaway (Ospreys)
Wing: Jimmy Norris (Dragons), Leigh Halfpenny, James Egan, Nathan Rees (all Blues)
Centre:Â Jonathan Davies, Rhys Williams (both Scarlets), Luke Ford (Blues), Tom Williams (Ospreys)
Outside-half: Gareth Owen, Dan Biggar (both Ospreys), Jason Tovey (Dragons)
Scrum-half: Luke Evans, Lloyd Williams (both Blues), Gareth Williams (Ospreys)
Prop: Scott Andrews, Patrick Palmer, Sam Hobbs (all Blues), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Aaron Coundley (Dragons)
Hooker: Huw Dowden (Blues), Ben Roberts (Dragons), Rhys Lawrence (Ospreys)
Lock: Haydn Pugh (Scarlets), Jevon Groves (Blues), Ashley Sweet (Dragons), Nathan White (Ospreys)
Flanker: Josh Turnbull, Nicholas Cudd (both Scarlets), Justin Tipurick (Ospreys), Dan Franks (Blues)
No.8: Sam Warburton (Blues), Rory Pitman (Ospreys), Lloyd Phillips (Scarlets)
