Eight players from the Blues region have been selected to play for Wales Under 16s against England tomorrow (Thursday, 5 April) in the first game in the new Four Nations International Tournament in the Midlands.
The game at Dudley Kingswinford RFC (kick-off 2.15pm) will be the first of three in the tournament for the Welsh side.
They meet Italy at Stourbridge RFC on Sunday (kick-off 1.00pm) and then close against France at Castlecroft, Wolverhampton on Wednesday, 11 April (kick-off 1.00pm).
Wales were edged out by two points, 24-22, against England last season and have prepared for the tournament by meeting, and beating, Tonmawr Under 17s and Pembrokeshire Under 17s in warm-up matches. England, meanwhile, have warmed-up by playing the Worcester and Bath Academies and a Millfield School side.
"This is a very skilfull group of players and they have some great strike runners behind a very strong pack. We've prepared well and everyone is looking forward to the challenge of the tournament," said Wales team manager James Savastano.
The Wales Under 16 A team got off to a flying start in the Millfield International Schools Festival with a 43-0 win over Romania on Tuesday, 3 April. More than 200 players from eight countries are taking part in the Festival and Wales A meet France on Thursday, 5 April and Scotland on Saturday, 7 April.
WALES UNDER 16 (v England): Dean Gunter (Mountain Ash CS/Blues North); Josh Smart (Tasker Milward School/Scarlets), Ben John (Ysgol Gwyr/Ospreys), Scott Williams (Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi/Scarlets), Will Rose (Ysgol y Cymer/Blues North); Ian Smerddon (Y Pant/Blues North), Tom Rowlands (Whitchurch HS/Blues South); Richard Powell (Cyfartha HS/Blues North), Ieuan Davies (Treorchy CS/Blues North), Tristan Davies (Ysgol Bro Myrddin/Scarlets), Tom Payne (Rhydyfelin CS/Blues North), Rhys Ruddock (Bishopston CS/Ospreys, CAPTAIN), Edward Siggery (Queen Elizabeth HS/Scarlets), Guy Jones (Gowerton School/Ospreys), Garrick Legge (Coedylan CS/Blues North).
Replacements: Chris Phillips (Hawthorn CS/Blues North), Luke Lewis (Bryngwyn CS/Scarlets), Harry Gravelle (Ysgol Llanharri/Blues North), Joe Davey (King Henry VIII/Dragons), Matthew Defilippo (Coedcae CS/Scarlets), Ellis Lloyd (Maes-yr-yrfa/Scarlets), Aled Davies (Ysgol Bro Myrddin/Scarlets), Chris Lewis-Pratt (Wellington College), Rhys Howells (Wellington College), Tom Rees (Treochy CS/Blues North), Deeke Morse (Ysgol Llanhari/Ospreys).