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EIGHT DRAGONS FOR ITALY

Wales Under 20 head coach Phil Davies has selected eight players from the Dragons Academy for the clash with Italy on Friday night (Biella, 7.10pm UK time, BBC 2 Wales).

Charlotte Moriarty | 09/03/2009
Wales Under 20 head coach Phil Davies has selected eight players from the Dragons Academy for the clash with Italy on Friday night (Biella, 7.10pm UK time, BBC 2 Wales).

The Welsh youngsters are looking for their first win of the Under 20 Six Nations Championship and Davies is confident that win will come if the basics are done well and the players given the license to thrill.

"It's important to get a win but we must first execute the basics well," he said. "While we are trying to work on structure and skills, we also want the players to express themselves with the ball and I'm sure if they do that we will see the best of them."

Wales will be without Kristian Phillips for the last two games of the Six Nations Championship after the Ospreys wing injured his shoulder in his region's 8-13 defeat to Leinster on Friday night.

The Under 20 side are also without wing Adam Hughes for Friday's clash as he is suffering from a foot injury.

Davies added: "It is important we continue to develop our strength in depth and increase the versatility of our players before we select 26 players to represent Wales at the Junior World Championship in Japan in June.

"While some players will get a first opportunity this weekend, the back and front rows are unchanged, as are the half back and centre partnerships, and James King returns to boost the mobility in the second row.

"Italy have a strong presence in the scrum, and a good kicking game, but we will hope to have the upper hand tactically."

WALES UNDER 20: James Leadbeater (Cross Keys); James Loxton (Blues Academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), Scott Williams (Scarlets Academy / Llanelli), Ashley Beck (vice-capt, Ospreys / Aberavon), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli); Jason Tovey (Dragons), Tavis Knoyle (Neath); Aaron Coundley (Dragons Academy / Ebbw Vale), Rhys Williams (Blues Academy / Pontypridd), Scott Andrews (capt, Blues Academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), James King (Ospreys academy / Aberavon), Ashley Sweet (Dragons Academy / Cross Keys), James Thomas (Dragons Academy / Ebbw Vale), Rhys Jenkins (Dragons Academy / Ebbw Vale), Rory Pitman (Ospreys Academy / Bridgend).

Replacements: Craig Attwell (Dragons Academy / Newbridge), Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Josh Navidi (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys Academy / Aberavon), Rhys Downes (Blues academy / Pontypridd), David Langdon (Dragons Academy / Ebbw Vale), Matthew Pewtner (Dragons academy / Cross Keys).
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