Inside the new Welsh team helping develop young players
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The sun is shining in Treforest as Welsh rugby’s newest team go through some training drills in the shadow of the A470.
Academy products from Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets have been brought together for a couple of weeks, as part of a Regional Academy U23s side, to offer some valuable preparation to Richard Whiffin’s Wales U20s team.
This Sunday session at the University of South Wales’ Sport Park is sandwiched between a few days in Merthyr and Ystrad Mynach.
The Friday before, they went down 42-21 to the U20s at the Arms Park. A week later, the deficit was reduced to a 28-24 defeat in Llandovery.
A marked improvement and two decent hit-outs for Whiffin’s side as they look to improve upon last year’s Six Nations. But what about the other team, this newly-formed U23s side?
Well, that’s a pertinent question. It’s not exactly clear whether there’ll be a repeat performance.
Whiffin himself is hopeful, while those involved with the side in the past fortnight are also unsure of what will happen with the team.
That’s understandable. At a time when most of the discussion in Wales revolves around cutting teams, it’s hard to really commit to a new side with any conviction.
That’s long been the case with the Wales A team. Forever talked about returning, but yet to actually take to the field.
It’s worth mentioning that, should the A side one day make its long-awaited return and the academies U23 team continue, the two wouldn’t be getting in each other’s way or vying for the same personnel.
“This would be a different programme, targeting different players,” says Gareth Williams. The former Wales and Scarlets assistant, who has also headed up the Sevens and U20s teams in this country, has been in charge of the academies side in the past two weeks.
Alongside him, he’s had Cardiff duo Dan Fish and Craig Everett, Dragons’ Ceri Jones and Bradley Davies from the Ospreys coaching this new team.
“Sometimes we forget it's a coaching team,” he explains. “Having different coaches dropped in helps you learn, working with others and bringing it together.
“It's good to spend time with each other, having different conversations.” In a more casual environment like this, the opportunity for cross-pollination is only amplified.
Watching the session in full flow, it’s interesting to see that in action as Dan Fish takes hold of attacking shapes while Williams and Davies converse.
