A RUTHIN player is the only North Walian to be included in this season’s Wales U-18 squad.
After the East versus West match at Swansea’s St Helens ground last Wednesday night, national selectors have now confirmed a 28-strong squad to represent Wales at U-18 level.
Among those included in the squad is Ruthin centre Mike Jones.
The squad was selected after intense training camps, weeks of analysis and monitoring which culminated in the trial match.
WRU U-18 team manager Gethin Watts said: “The trial match was a great exercise and was an opportunity for us to see all players once again in a game situation and allowed us to make some final assessments on players involved over the past few months.”
Wales begin their international campaign with a warm-up game against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on February 15, before taking on Scotland on March 11 in Glasgow.
The team will then travel to Madrid in late March to take part in the U18 FIRA-AER European Championship.
“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved including all the regional performance managers and U-18 coaches,” added Watts.
“As a management group we are really pleased with the number of talented and exciting players coming through the WRU player pathway and we’re looking forward to working with this squad and preparing for the season.”
2012 Wales U-18 Squad: Forwards: Callum Jay Lewis (Blues), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ethan Lewis (Blues), Scott Otton (Ospreys), Nicky Thomas (Ospreys), Alex Jefferies (Dragons), Gus McPherson (Blues), Scott Andrews (Dragons), Joshua Helps (Scarlets), Derryn Jones (Dragons), Benjamin Roach (Blues), Calum Davies (Ospreys), Scott Matthews (Dragons), James Benjamin (Dragons). Backs: Shaun Clarke (Blues), Connor Lloyd (Scarlets), Luke Crane (Dragons), Gareth Thomson (Blues), Jack Maynard (Scarlets), Dafydd Wyn Howells (Ospreys), Jack Dixon (Dragons), Mike Jones (RGC1404), Ben Roberts (Ospreys), Steffan Hughes (Scarlets), Lewis Hudd (Dragons), Hallam Amos (Dragons), Ethan Davies (Dragons)