Head Coach Dai Flanagan has vowed to keep looking to give youth a chance in the second half of the season – but only if the time is right to ensure positive development.
The Men of Gwent have returned to training after a down week as they start to build to the next game – an away BKT United Rugby Championship clash with Glasgow Warriors on February 17.
Dai Flanagan’s men have nine games left in the league as they look to move up the standings.
And the Head Coach is keen to use that four-month period to continue to continue to blood the best young talent in Gwent and build for the future.
He said: “We’ve got to expose a few more youngsters, got to bring some depth into the squad with another round of cuts to come, and I am sure these boys will come through.
“We’ve had Ryan Woodman and Harri Ackerman playing, but it has been great to see the likes of Joe Westwood getting his debut, Ewan Rosser getting a bit more time recently.
“We’ve got some fantastic players at Newport, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool who we’ll see come through. “We have a back three coming through who are going to go off and play for Wales Under-20s who are exciting.
“Walker Price on the wing, Harry Rees-Weldon and Huw Anderson. We’ve got some talent here. It’s our job to fast track it now.
“If you look at the forwards, we’ve got Dylan Keheller-Griffiths at loosehead who is training the house down, who was with Wales Under-20s last year.
“Sam Scarfe at hooker and there is a young man coming through, Nick Thomas, who is in the Academy, a second row who is 6ft 6in. “When you're that big we want to make sure we bring them through.
“We just need to make sure we don't tarnish development by blooding them all together and give them good experiences.
“That's what Harri (Ackerman) has had in recent weeks. Tough games with Zebre and Sharks in Europe, and a derby game with Scarlets. They're good experiences that they get better from.
“Arguably going to South Africa and taking 60 points is not a good experience. So, we've got to make sure we get it right.”
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We’ve got to expose a few more youngsters, got to bring some depth into the squad with another round of cuts to come, and I am sure these boys will come through...
