Wales’ senior side trained against the U20s earlier this week as both teams prepared for a busy summer
Wales head coach Steve Tandy(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
Steve Tandy’s Wales trained against the U20s this week as both sides stepped up their preparations for the summer.
The senior side take on the Barbarians at Twickenham later this month, with Nations Championship matches against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa to follow in July. As for Richard Whiffin’s U20s, they have a World Rugby Junior World Championship coming up in the coming weeks in Georgia.
The age-grade side take on hosts Georgia on June 27, before further pool matches against Uruguay and South Africa in Tbilisi in July.
The U20s finished eighth in last year’s tournament in Italy, but will hoping to improve upon that after a promising Six Nations that saw him narrowly beaten by England and eventual champions France.
As for Tandy’s Wales, they will looking to carry the momentum of a first Six Nations win in three years through to the summer – with the Wales coach getting to grips with his players for the longest period of time in his reign to date.
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With some of his 48-man extended squad having joined up at the start of this month, more players will filter into camp once their club duties are done as Tandy continues his rebuild of the national team.
On Monday, the two sides went head-to-head in a full-blooded training session in a bid to get both teams battle-hardened.
In a pleasing sight, Cardiff second-row Teddy Williams was seen in an Instagram post by the Welsh Rugby Union strapping up and taking part in the session.
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The 25-year-old hasn’t played since October after suffering a serious foot injury in the United Rugby Championship.
The lock landed awkwardly on his right leg after claiming a lineout against Connacht, suffering a dislocated foot.
The session would have also allowed Tandy to get a closer look at some younger players who have yet to feature in senior squads.
Scarlets fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones would be one such example, as would Cardiff wing Tom Bowen given his try-scoring exploits for the Blue and Blacks this season.
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Having picked up a host of awards this season, including the URC’s breakthrough player of the year, his Cardiff team-mate Josh Adams has already tipped him for a senior call-up.
“Certainly he could,” said the Wales wing recently. “I think whenever Bows has been given the opportunity to play he’s done nothing wrong at all.
“He’s always threatening when he has the ball. That’s Bows’ point of difference if you like.
“It’s like his USP; it’s how good he is moving with the ball. He’s agile and his centre of gravity helps that.
“We have a couple of digs about that but he takes it well.
“He’s super agile on his feet, he’s quick, he’s got great explosive power.
“As a winger he ticks most boxes in terms of that.”
He added: “Absolutely Tom is someone who will progress to be a full international in the not too distant future.”
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