Nine Dragons Women Under-18s have named in a Wales Women Under-18 training squad by WRU Female Age Grade Lead Liza Burgess.
Chloe Thomas Bradley, Lucy Isaac, Molly Wakely, Katie Bevans, Lauren Stevens, Leanna Elizabeth Maybank, Molly Powell, Natalia Barnes and Savannah Picton-Powell have all been selected.
The first of six Wales Under-18 training camps take place this weekend. A 45-strong wider training squad following a programme of WRU skills development centres and a regional performance programme culminating in two rounds of regional matches.
Burgess, who is head coach of the Under-18 side, assisted by Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin, Oli Wilson, Marc Breeze and Siwan Lillicrap, said: "The build-up to this stage of the season has been brilliant. Firstly, the skills development centres run throughout the autumn, provided a perfect opportunity for players to develop and put their hands up for regional selection.
"The regional programme was an invaluable step-up from the New Year and the regions were outstanding in terms of the buy-in of the regional staff, coaches and especially the players themselves. The players were given a real taste of a performance programme in terms of quality coaching and conditioning work along with an introduction to other aspects of an elite environment such as analysis, nutrition and lifestyle choices.
"We were all impressed with the quality of rugby we saw from all regions both in training and at the Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr regional festivals and we just can’t wait to work with these young players and give them the tools they need to develop and perform, both at U18 level and beyond."
A reduced Wales Women U18 squad is expected to compete against other Six Nations teams later in the spring, details to be confirmed, while there will also be further opportunities including with the introduction of a Wales U20 set-up.
Wales U18 training squad:
Forwards: Cagla Buyukertas SCARLETS, Catrin Stewart RGC, Chelsea Chesters SCARLETS, Chloe Thomas Bradley DRAGONS, Dali Hopkins OSPREYS, Erin Jones RGC, Fern Cumine CARDIFF, Georgia Morgan CARDIFF, Gwennan Hopkins CARDIFF, Hannah Perry OSPREYS, Izabel Wing CARDIFF, Jess Rogers OSPREYS, Kaitlyn Prosser OSPREYS, Katy Hudd CARDIFF, Lowri Pritchard SCARLETS, Lowri Williams RGC, Lucy Isaac DRAGONS, Maisie Davies SCARLETS, Mali Edwards RGC, Mia Davies CARDIFF, Milly Summer Webb-Greenslade SCARLETS, Molly Rossiter SCARLETS, Molly Wakely DRAGONS, Nia Powell CARDIFF
Backs: Bronwen Griffin SCARLETS, Cadi Williams SCARLETS, Carys Hughes SCARLETS, Gabby Healan CARDIFF, Grace Bellamy CARDIFF, Jenna De Vera SCARLETS, Katie Bevans DRAGONS, Kelsie Webster RGC, Lauren Stevens DRAGONS, Leanna Elizabeth Maybank DRAGONS, Lowri Elias SCARLETS, Mollie Wilkinson WALES EXILES, Molly Powell DRAGONS, Molly Reardon CARDIFF, Mya Dixon CARDIFF, Natalia Barnes DRAGONS, Nel Metcalfe RGC, Nell Powell CARDIFF, Rachel Thomas-Evans CARDIFF, Savannah Picton-Powell DRAGONS, Sian Jones RGC
