Scarlets U18s will begin the defence of their Regional Age-Grade crown when they take on Cardiff at Llandovery’s Church Bank on Sunday (3pm).
Back-rower Osian Williams skippers a side that contains a number of the side that featured last season, as well a number of exciting fresh talent from across the region.
Scarlets had a bye in the opening round of matches which saw Cardiff beat RGC 46-22 at the Arms Park and the Ospreys beat the Dragons 32-17 at Ystrad Mynach.
Scarlets U18s head coach Tom Phillips said: “We had a good warm-up with two matches against Ealing in difficult conditions which allowed us to reach out to a wider squad within the pathway and it has shown us we have plenty of good talent in the group.
“Our job is to develop these boys as players. If that is paired with winning then brilliant, but if we can look back at the block and the boys in our squad have become better players then that is the win for us as coaches.”
Phillips added: “We have been fortunate that our schools and colleges have been going well, which is credit to everyone involved in our pathway. We had a lot of players who were part of the Llandovery College side that won the schools and colleges title, Coleg Sir Gar had a strong campaign and our Welsh schools have also been going really well.
“We are excited by the group, but it is also a tough start for us against a strong Cardiff side, who had a good win in their opening game against RGC.”
Scarlets U18s: 15 Sion Jones; 14 Thomas Williams, 13 Gryff Watkins, 12 Harri Davies, 11 Tomos Lewis; 10 Carwyn Jones, 9 Cellan Allcock; 1 Will Davies, 2 Jake Bowen, 3 Teifi Thomas, 4 Cai Howells, 5 Kai Jones, 6 Osian Williams (capt), 7 Jac Cloke, 8 Dom Kossuth.
Reps: 16 Theo James, 17 Llyr James, 18 Nathan Davies, 19 Charlie Thomas, 20 Hefin Davies, 21 Bowyn Clark, 22 Rhun Davies, 23 Jac Jones.
Fixtures
Sunday, January 19: v Cardiff
Sunday, January 26 v Dragons
Sunday, February 2 v RGC
Sunday, February 9 v Ospreys
Sunday, February 16 (Semi-finals)
Sunday, February 23 (Finals Day)
SCARLETS U18s SQUAD
Backs
Alfie Luger (Llandovery College/Tenby Utd); Bowyn Clark (Pembrokeshire College, Carmarthen Quins), Cai Evans (Ysgol y Strade, Burry Port), Carwyn Jones (Llandovery College, Carmarthen Quins), Cellan Allcock (Coleg Sir Gar, Amman Utd), Gryff Watkins (Llandovery Coll, Heathfield & Waldron), Harri Davies (Ammanford College, Llandeilo), Iestyn Messer (CSG, Felinfoel), Ioan Thomas (Gower College, Llandeilo), Jac Jones (Maes y Gwendraeth, Penybanc), Noa Harries (Llandovery Coll, Newcastle Emlyn), Osian Herbert (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Amman Utd), Owen Rickard (Llandovery Coll, Pembroke), Rhun Davies (CSG, Lampeter), Sion Jones (CSG, Llandeilo), Thomas Williams (Llandovery Coll), Tomos Lewis (Ysgol Bro Myrddin, Carm Quins), Tyler Davies (CSG, Penlan).
Forwards
Cai Howell (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Penybanc), Charlie Thomas (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Amman Utd), Cole Lacey (CSG, Amman Utd), Dom Kossuth (CSG, Kidwelly), Felix Godet (Llandovery Coll, Guernsey Raiders), Harrison Riley (Llandovery Coll, Amman Utd), Hefin Davies (Llandovery Coll, Amman Utd), Hefin Hughes (CSG, Llandeilo), Hudson Nevin (Llandovery Coll, South Gower), Jac Cloke (CSG, Amman Utd), Jake Bowen (CSG, Carm Quins), Kai Jones (CSG, Lampeter), Llyr James (Llandovery Coll, Llandeilo), Nathan Davies (Hartpury College, Penybanc), Osian Williams (CSG, Carm Ath), Rhys Owen (Ysgol Dyffryn Amman, Penybanc), Teifi Thomas (CSG, Newcastle Emlyn), Theo James (CSG, Furnace), Will Davies (CSG, Carm Quins).