Scarlets U18s continue their quest for back-to-back Regional Age Grade titles when they take on Cardiff in the semi-finals at Llandovery RFC on Sunday (1pm).
Tom Phillips’s side have been imperious during an unbeaten pool stage, putting a half century of points on Cardiff (51-19), Dragons (50-12) and Ospreys (54-5), with a much-changed side also winning away at RGC (24-8).
Having beaten Cardiff in the opening round, Scarlets welcome the capital side to Church Bank again, with head coach Phillips expecting a very different challenge this time around.
He said: “It’s been a good block. Winning is nice and we like to win, but the number of players we have been able to expose and give game time to and to also see the boys develop over these last four games have been the biggest positives for us as a coaching group.
“The more games you can get into these boys the better. It is obviously different now, we have parked those four games and it is a cliche, but anything can happen in knockout rugby which is 100 percent right. We have played Cardiff once so we have footage to look back on and I am sure it will be a different challenge on Sunday.”
U18s captain Osian Williams trained with Wales U20s this week, as did a handful of last season’s Scarlets’ Championship-winning squad.
Phillips added: “To see Osian training up with the U20s and others like Tian Sparrow, Keanu Evans, Jac Pritchard and Elis Price who were with the U18s last year is what it’s all about. This is the pathway, it is a building block for players to become professional players and it seems to be working.”
Williams returns from injury to lead the side at Church Bank.
Scarlets v Cardiff (Church Bank, Llandovery RFC; Sunday, February 16; 1pm ko)
15 Sion Jones (Coleg Sir Gar, Llandeilo RFC); 14 Thomas Williams (Llandovery College), 13 Tyler Davies (Coleg Sir Gar, Penlan), 12 Gryff Watkins (Llandovery College), 11 Tomos Lewis (Ysgol Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen Quins); 10 Carwyn Jones (Llandovery College, Carmarthen Quins), 9 Cellan Allcock (Coleg Sir Gar, Amman Utd); 1 Wil Davies (Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen Quins), 2 Jake Bowen (Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen Quins), 3 Teifi Thomas (Coleg Sir Gar, Newcastle Emlyn), 4 Kai Jones (Coleg Sir Gar, Lampeter), 5 Ollie Lewis (Llandovery College, Pontyclun), 6 Cai Howell (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Penybanc), 7 Jac Cloke (Coleg Sir Gar, Amman Utd), 8 Osian Williams (capt; Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen Ath).
Reps: 16 Hudson Nevin (Llandovery College, South Gower), 17 Theo James (Coleg Sir Gar, Furnace), 18 Nathan Davies (Hartpury College, Penybanc), 19 Hefin Hughes (Coleg Sir Gar, Llandeilo), 20 Rhys Owen (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Penybanc), 21 Bowyn Clark (Pembrokeshire College, Carmarthen Quins), 22 Rhun Davies (Coleg Sir Gar, Lampeter), 23 Harri Davies (Ammanford College, Llandeilo).