Three Dragons in Wales Squad for JWC Opening Game
Wales Under 20 head coach Patrick Horgan has announced his team for Wales' opening game of the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship against Italy at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night (7.10pm).
Captain Sam Warburton and fellow Blues back row Dan Franks will win their first caps at Under 20 level in the match after missing Wales' Six Nations campaign through injury.
Those changes, and with props Ryan Bevington and Scott Andrews coming in for Sam Hobbs and Patrick Palmer, are the only alterations from the side that defeated France in the final Under 20 Six Nations fixture in March.
After a week-long training camp in La Baule, France, coach Horgan believes his players are now desperate to run out at the Liberty Stadium on Friday.
"The week in France was hugely productive for us as a group, we trained well, we were able to get a huge amount of work done and we are now a very tight-knit squad.
"The boys have settled in well in Swansea and they are really raring to go.
"We're looking forward to playing at the Liberty Stadium and hope that the public will come out and support us. We want to show the public what we are capable of.
"It's important we get a good start in this campaign in order to build some momentum for the rest of the Pool stages.
"Italy are no mugs, they showed that in the Six Nations. We're certainly not disregarding them, but at the end of the day, there is a lot of potential in this side and it's down to us to make our mark on the game and get a first win in the bag."
***Tickets for Friday's matches at the Liberty Stadium, and the other matches at Cardiff Arms Park, Rodney Parade and the Racecourse, Wrexham are available at £2 for children and £8 for adults. Venue and team packages, which include entry to 10 matches are on sale from £8 for children and £30 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the four match venues, including on match day until kick-off. Tickets, and ticket packages are also available online via www.ticketweb.co.uk and on 08705 582582.
Wales Under 20 team v Italy - IRB Junior World Championship - Friday, 6 June - 7.10pm - Liberty Stadium, Swansea:
Daniel Evans (Scarlets); Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Owen (Ospreys), Jimmy Norris (Dragons); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Lawrence (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Haydn Pugh (Scarlets), Jevon Groves (Blues), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Dan Franks (Blues), Sam Warburton (capt, Blues)
Replacements: Ryan Prosser (Bristol), Sam Hobbs (Blues), Ashley Sweet (Dragons), Lloyd Phillips (Scarlets), Jason Tovey (Dragons), Gareth Williams (Ospreys), Luke Ford (Blues)
For full tournament schedule and preview material, go to www.irb.com/jwc
