Cardiff Rugby have selected a combined U16s squad as a busy period within the pathway intensifies in the weeks ahead. 

The two U16 sides went head-to-head last week, with the north battling to an impressive victory in difficult conditions at the Arms Park.

They now come together to face their regional counterparts in the next development step in the U16s programme and Rees is excited by what lies ahead. 

Rees said: “Both North and South had great individual campaigns, with the North winning the all Cardiff clash. 

“The South came out with the wind behind them and took full advantage but the North kept pounding away and by the last 20 minutes, they were the better team. That was probably reflective of the Dewar Shield, which Ponty Schools won with Rhondda Schools also semi-finalists. 

“There’s some talented boys coming from there and it was actually quite ironic that we had a couple of Ponty boys in the South where we created opportunities for talented players in the same position. 

“We’ve got to a point with the combine now where we feel we’ve got a healthy and competitive squad of 32, which will push through, while we continue to monitor the wider group.

“It’s important for us to work now with the schools and colleges to show these players that there’s a real pathway that is proven in terms of Wales Age-Grade internationals, academy contracts and beyond at Cardiff.”

Cardiff Rugby U16s squad

On the back of the U16s block, the best of the group will combine with a talented group of Year 12 pupils, who broke into the U18s set-up in their first season of action. 

Tagged onto the end of the season, it serves as a beneficial transition to next year’s U18s program and again allows precious develop time for not only players but coaches as well. 

Rees continued: “The better players, and I say that in inverted commas because while we have a huge amount of data and performance analysis, a lot of this can be subjective. However, where we see some real potential coming through from the 16s combine group, we will push them into a U17s block.

“This basically closes the age group season with a couple of fixtures. It’s a nice little window to set up the summer but it combines some of the guys coming through U16s pretty quickly and the talented Year 12s, who will step into that space, lead and have different roles.”

Typically, with numerous programs running alongside each other, players developing at different rates and opportunities arising, there is no time to sit still. 

Coach development

And for coaches as well, the pathway is continually providing opportunities. 

Rees added: “There are dual programs going on as well as academy delivery on a full-time basis. So traditionally staff can get stretched, but we have a lot of good people across a lot of our programmes.  

“We do a lot of coach development work in that space, which I’m proud of and I think it’s a key responsibility for ourselves. I’m looking at some of the guys coaching our U16s group currently – Luke Thomas, Gethin Thomas, as well as people like Evan Wood, the Wales 20s hooker last year, who has come into that coaching space and made a real difference. 

“It’s constantly balancing out player development needs and trying to get as much exposure to the professional staff as possible, as well as supporting the union with people like Josh Turnbull, coaching the U20s now, and Saul Nelson doing a block of work with Wales U18s. 

“There’s lot of juggling behind the scenes but a lot of it is working alongside our coach development plan, which myself and Aled lead to create some opportunities and growth.

“Craig Everett will lead the U17s. He’s probably unheralded a little bit, in the sense that he does the senior academy defence role. He is very technical in his work with individuals there and deserves a lot of praise for the impact he makes. 

“Alongside that, he does the RFC which obviously marries up to his development, but we felt we wanted to give him an area of responsibility and again, it’s about putting an imprint of the professional staff influencing the RAG program. 

“Then the wider group getting coach development opportunities within that to learn from people like Craig who are in it day in, day out.”