Charlie Titcombe to captain Development XV against Dragons

Rob LloydNews

Charlie Titcombe will captain a Scarlets Development XV in their clash with the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Saturday (2.30pm kick-off).

The fly-half leads an exciting young line-up that contains the bulk of our Senior Academy and a handful of our Junior Academy talents.

Ellis Mee, who made his URC debut in Benetton earlier this season, starts at full-back with Jac Davies and Iori Badham named on the wings.

Elis Price and Gabe McDonald link up in midfield, with Titcombe partnering Rhodri Lewis at half-back.

The front row is made up of Sam O’Connor, younger brother of Wales international Harri, Swansea University hooker Joe Rees, who was formerly at the Scarlets, and tight-head Gabe Hawley, who was signed from Ealing Academy in the summer.

In the second row, Ollie Close, a student at Cardiff University, packs down alongside Ed Scragg, who will be Titcombe’s vice-captain.

The back row is made up of Scarlets U18s flanker Osian Williams, home-town product Keanu Evans and senior squad member Ben Williams.

Scott Sneddon has taken the coaching reins for the match and he has named a 27-strong squad.

The forwards on the bench are hooker Lewis Jones (Carmarthen Quins/Narberth), loose-head prop Max Marshall (Swansea University), Senior Academy tight-head Jac Pritchard (Cardiff Met), Senior Academy second row Dylan Alford (RGC), back-rowers, Dom Kossuth (Coleg Sir Gâr/Llandovery), Evan Sheldon (Llandovery) and Joe Denman (Loughborough University).

The backs are scrum-half George Macdonald (Cardiff University/Llandovery), the son of former Llanelli No. 9 Chris; Senior Academy players, fly-half Steff Jac Jones and wing Callum Woolley, as well as centre Gryff Watkins (Llandovery College) and full-back Sion Jones (Coleg Sir Gâr), who are both members of the Junior Academy.

Scarlets Academy Head Coach Scott Sneddon said: “It is great for us to have this fixture in the calendar during the Super Rygbi Cymru break weeks and development weeks. It gives an opportunity for the boys in our senior and junior academy to get that exposure to pull closer to URC level whilst being supported by members of the senior group who have already had that URC experience.

“We have a handful of the U18s side who won the age grade title last season and a big thanks to the likes of Llandovery, Swansea and Cardiff University for allowing us to bring in players for the game.

“We are looking forward to seeing how this young group goes and will give supporters another glimpse of the exciting crop of talent that is coming through here at the Scarlets.

“We have seen the likes of Macs Page and Eddie James in the senior ranks and I am sure a number of this group will be following in their footsteps in the coming years.”

Scarlets Development v Dragons RFC (Rodney Parade, Saturday, November 10, 2.30)

15 Ellis Mee; 14 Jac Davies, 13 Gabe McDonald, 12 Elis Price, 11 Iori Badham; 10 Charlie Titcombe (capt), 9 Rhodri Lewis; 1 Sam O’Connor, 2 Joe Rees, 3 Gabe Hawley, 4 Ollie Close, 5 Ed Scragg, 6 Osian Williams, 7 Keanu Evans, 8 Ben Williams.

Reps: 16 Lewis Jones, 17 Max Marshall, 18 Jac Pritchard, 19 Dylan Alford, 20 Evan Shelford, 21 Dom Kossuth, 22 Joe Demnan, 23 George Macdonald, 24 Steff Jac Jones, 25 Gryff Watkins, 26 Callum Woolley, 27 Sion Jones.