Dai Flanagan has hailed the impact of young duo Harri Ackerman and Ryan Woodman in the Under-20s Six Nations – and believes Welsh rugby should build the future around them.
Ackerman, 18 and Woodman, 19, are both bright lights coming through the Dragons Academy system.
Woodman – who captains Wales Under-20s – also recently made his BKT United Rugby Championship debut in the clash with Leinster in Dublin.
“They are two players that Welsh rugby needs to develop,” said Flanagan.
“My experience of being outside and watching in, is that sometimes Gwent rugby has had the best talent in Wales, and we push them through early here.
“People like Steff Hughes are invaluable to people like Harri Ackerman.
“We can manage game time so they play with people like Steff, Jack Dixon, Sio Tomkinson and Max Clark, so they have that experience around them.
“Don’t forget we’ve also still got Aneurin Owen who has been injured all year and he is a decent 12 as well.
“Welsh rugby needs them both to come through,” he added. “We need to make sure we manage these players correctly so in four years’ time they are at the World Cup representing us and thriving.
“Ryan is in his second year of playing Under-20s and they still has next year at that level. Harri is in his first year at Under-20s and has next year also to look forward to.
“They excite us. Welsh rugby needs them coming through and for that to happen we have got to manage them correctly.”
Flanagan has also been pleased to see the progress of young hooker Sam Scarfe, who has worked hard to gain recognition on the international stage.
“Sam is a Penallta boy, from my local club, and he has been playing all his rugby this year with Pontypool,” added Flanagan.
“He has done it the tough way. He’s been just outside the Academy, on the transition programme we run to make sure our net is as wide as possible.
“Sam has had to give us some tough hours to make sure he can hit his potential. I have been impressed by him.
“If you can imagine a Gwent hooker, like Brodie Coghlan, he is very much in that mould.”
We need to make sure we manage these players correctly so in four years’ time they are at the World Cup representing us and thriving...
