With two wins and two losses so far in the tournament – and following a heavy loss to England last weekend – Hayward insists there is huge determination to put in a good performance in their final outing of the year on home soil.
“We know we are a lot better team than our performance against England last Friday would suggest,” said Hayward. “We lost the physical battle in that game and missed a huge number of tackles.
“Individually and collectively, that display is not what we’ve come to expect over the last couple of years. But we have a chance to put that right on Friday in our last competitive game before the Junior World Championship.”
Wales Sevens’ Ashley Evans moves to full back from wing for Friday’s clash, with Joshua Adams coming back onto the left wing and Luc Jones, son of Dragons director of rugby Lyn, getting his first start at scrum half.
In the forwards, RGC flanker Olly Cracknell will make his Wales Under 20 debut, hooker Scott Otten makes his first start of the campaign and Will Boyde starts on the openside flank.”
Hayward added, “We won’t be underestimating Scotland in any way but we need to concentrate on improving areas of our own game this week.”
Wales team v Scotland (Friday 14 March, 7pm, Eirias, Colwyn Bay):
Ashley Evans (Ospreys); Tyler Morgan (Dragons), Steffan Hughes (capt, Scarlets), Jack Dixon (Dragons), Joshua Adams (Scarlets); Angus O’Brien (Dragons), Luc Jones (Dragons); Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Scott Otten (Ospreys), Nicky Thomas (Ospreys), Ben Roach (Blues), Joe Davies (Dragons), Olly Cracknell (RGC), James Benjamin (Dragons), Will Boyde (Carmarthen)
Replacements: Elliot Dee (Dragons), Leon Crump (Blues), Benjamin Leung (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Dragons), Ollie Griffiths (Dragons), Tom Williams (Blues), Luke Price (Ospreys), Harri Evans (RGC)
Tickets are available for Friday night’s match against Scotland (7pm). They are on sale now at Colwyn Leisure Centre and Venue Cymru (online at www.venuecymru.co.uk / tel 01492 872000/ The Promenade, Llandudno) and wru.co.uk/tickets from £5 Under 16s and from £10 for adults.
