Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake will lead Wales U20 at next month’s World Rugby Junior Championship being staged in Argentina between June 4-22.
Lake impressed during the Six Nations championship when taking over the captaincy reins from Tommy Reffell who suffered a hamstring injury in the first game of the campaign against France and has been entrusted with the role for the competition by head coach Gareth Williams.
He is one of six young Ospreys included in the 28-man squad. His fellow hooker Garin Lloyd is the only player in the squad who didn’t figure during the Six Nations. Also included are prop, Rhys Davies, half backs Harri Morgan and Cai Evans, and centre, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler.
Williams admitted some tough calls had to be made on the final selection after a number of players from the wider squad and the Wales U19 side who played so well against Japan High Schools and England, had put their hands up.
“It has proved a tough process coming to the final selection but we are really excited with the squad we are taking away to the Junior Championship. The wider group of players put a lot of pressure on the incumbants,” Williams said.
“It’s fantastic to be back in training with the players and building towards a physical group with Argentina, France and Fiji.”
Wales open their Pool A campaign against hosts Argentina on June 4 at the Racecourse Stadium in Rosario before taking on current world champions France at the same venue on June 8 before completing their pool matches against Fiji on June 12 at Club de Rugby Ateneo Inmaculada, Santa Fe.
Wales U20 Junior World Championship squad
Forwards:
Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Tom Devine (Dragons)
Dewi Lake (Ospreys – Capt), Will Griffiths (Dragons), Garin Lloyd (Ospreys)
Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Nick English (Bristol Bears)
Jac Price (Scarlets), Morgan Jones (Scarlets), Teddy Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ed Scragg (Dragons)
Lennon Greggains (Dragons), Jac Morgan (Scarlets/Aberavon), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Iestyn Rees (Scarlets)
Backs:
Harri Morgan (Ospreys), Dafydd Buckland (Dragons)
Cai Evans (Ospreys), Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers)
Aneurin Owen (Dragons), Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (Ospreys), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues)
Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Deon Smith (Dragons), Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues), Tomi Lewis (Scarlets)
Wales U20 fixtures
June 4: Wales U20s v Argentina U20s (KO 5pm BST)
June 8: Wales U20s v France U20s (KO 5pm BST)
June 12: Wales U20s v Fiji U20s (5pm BST)
Knockout stages on Monday, 17 June and finals day on Saturday, 22 June, live on ITV.