For the second Friday night in a row the U20 team will face a heaver, older and more powerful side than themselves as they prepare for their clash with France U20 in their U20 Six Nations opener in Vannes on Saturday 1 February.
Whiffin has made wholesale changes to the side that beat the Academies 42-21 with a six try display in the Welsh capital as he gives everyone the chance to bid for a starting berth in a few weeks time.
“We were really happy with some of key targets we set ourselves against a physical Academies XV. We moved the ball really well and we were a constant threat,” said Whiffin.
“We matched them physically and also found some dominance in those areas. We worked hard at the scrum and maul, as well as in the collision areas.
“We had put in a lot of time in those areas with the France game in mind. These two games will be invaluable for us in preparing properly for the Six Nations.”
Bristol Bears wing Aidan Boshoff, Bath prop Ioan Emanuel, Bristol Bears lock Kenzie Jenkins, Bath back five forward Arthur Moore and Dragons No 8 Evan Minto are the only survivors from the side that won at the Arms Park last week.
Drafted in for round two are Ospreys full back Lewis Edwards and wing Ieuan Cornelius, Sale Sharks centre Osian Roberts and scrum half Carwyn Edwards, Scarlets’ centre Elis Price and hooker Harry Thomas, and Dragons forward duo Nick Thomas and Ryan Jones.
Thomas will captain the side with flanker Harry Beddall, dropping to the bench along with Scarlets’ prop Jac Pritchard and Cardiff outside half Harri Wilde. Dragons No 10 Harri Ford moves up off the bench to take over from Wilde along with clubmate Owain James at prop.
Scarlets full back Iori Badham and Cardiff Rugby backs Osian Darwin-Lewis and Sion Davies are retained among the replacements, while Dragons’ prop Morgan Williams moves across from the Academies XV bench to join the Wales U20 replacements.
The Academies XV also shows wholesale changes with only Scarlets three-quarters Jac Davies and Gabe McDonald (Scarlets), Swansea outside half Josh Phillips, Cardiff flanker Evan Rees and Dragons No 8 Owen Conquer retaining their places.
Ospreys prop Freddie Chapman, Cardiff tight head Joe Cowell, RGC flanker Charlie Probert and Dragons full back Sam Potter graduate from the bench to the starting XV, while Scarlets scrum half Rhodri Lewis, Cardiff centre Fraser Jones and Dragons hooker Tomoya Adachi drop down.
Cowell will take over the captaincy duties from Lewis, while Ethan Phillips, Kobi Rees and Kodi Stone return as replacements. Bridgend prop Harry Olding, RGC front row man Paddy Nelson, Bridgend wing Gabe Lacey and Ospreys wing Cori Lewis-Jenkins will join them as new recruits on the bench.
Receiving their first starts will be Carmarthen Quins centre Iestyn Gwilliam, Bridgend wing Macauley Rowley, Ospreys scrum half Lucca Setaro, Scarlets’ hooker Isaac Young, Cardiff lock Ben Roberts and RGC second row Ilan Evans.
“It will be a step up at Llandovery. We expect them to be stronger this week having spent a full week together – they should be better prepared and a bit slicker,” said Whiffin.
“We’ve made a number of changes to give everyone a chance to get some game time. We are still giving players the chance to put up their hands for a spot against France.
“The crowd was great at the Arms Park, and we are hoping for another big turn-out at Church Bank.”
Wales U20 v Regional Academies XV – Llandovery, Friday 17 January (7.30pm)
Wales U20: Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears); Osian Roberts (Sale Sharks), Elis Price (Scarlets), Ieuan Cornelius (Ospreys); Harri Ford (Dragons), Carwyn Edwards (Sale Sharks); Ioan Emanuel (Bath), Harry Thomas (Scarlets, captain), Owain James (Dragons), Nick Thomas (Dragons), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Arthur Moore (Bath), Ryan Jones (Dragons), Evan Minto (Dragons)
Reps: Morgan Williams (Dragons), Lewis Jones (Carmarthen Quins), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Dylan Alford (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (RGC), Harry Beddall (Leicester Tigers), Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby), Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Iori Badham (Scarlets)Regional Academies XV: Sam Potter (Dragons); Jac Davies (Scarlets), Iestyn Gwilliam (Carmarthen Quins), Gabe McDonald (Scarlets), Macauley Rowley (Bridgend); Josh Phillips (Swansea), Lucca Setaro (Scarlets); Freddie Chapman (Ospreys), Isaac Young (Scarlets), Joe Cowell (Cardiff Rugby, captain), Ben Roberts (Ospreys), Ilan Evans (RGC), Evan Rees (Cardiff Rugby), Charlie Probert (RGC), Owen Conquer (Dragons)
Reps: Tomoya Adachi (Dragons), Harry Olding (Bridgend), Paddy Nelson (RGC), Ethan Phillips (Cardiff), Kobi Rees (Ebbw Vale) Rhodri Lewis (Scarlets), Fraser Jones (Cardiff Rugby), Gabe Lacey (Bridgend), Cori Lewis-Jenkins (Ospreys), Kodi Stone (Cardiff Rugby)
