Wales U20s head coach Liza Burgess has named the side to face Italy in the final U20s Six Nations Summer Series at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma, on Sunday, July 14th (kick-off 5:30pm UK) - and she selects five players from Dragons RFC.
Abi Meyrick, Lucy Isaac, Amy Williams, Katie Bevans and Savannah Picton-Powell all feature in the final game.
entre Jenna De Vera and backrower Jess Rogers are named as co-captains, while Wales full-back Nel Metcalfe is selected on the wing.
Metcalfe, who has won three Wales caps for the senior side, is one of five players making her third Wales start in the Summer Series.
Co-captain Rogers, wing Amy Williams, prop Cadi-Lois Davies and flanker Lucy Isaac are the others.
Props Maisie Davies and Cadi-Lois Davies, lock Alaw Pyrs, fly-half Hanna Marshall, scrum-half Seren Singleton, who all trained with the extended senior Six Nations squad for the 2024 championship, are all named in the starting line-up.
Wales lost to two of the best teams in the world at U20s level in France and England but have scored six tries so far in the tournament.
The Wales WU20s squad includes 21 players who were in the Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning squads which played in last season’s Celtic Challenge tournament.
Liza Burgess, Wales WU20s Head coach, said: “This has been a real learning experience for the players and there is no doubt we have grown into this Six Nations tournament, and we are excited to play Italy in our third and final game.
“The players have bought into the whole experience and while we were disappointed with the result against England, we produced a performance against one of the best sides in the world at this level, scoring 4 tries with lots of positives to build on.
“The attitude and resilience of this squad was there for all to see against England, and we need the same and more against an Italy side playing on home side and in front of their own supporters.
“We made it clear what our approach has been to the Summer Series and to finish with another big performance will show how important it is for players to have this kind of opportunity to develop.”
Wales WU20s squad to face Italy:
Eleanor Hing, Nel Metcalfe, Kelsie Webster, Jenna De Vera (co-captain), Amy Williams, Hanna Marshall, Seren Singleton; Maisie Davies, Molly Wakely, Cadi-Lois Davies, Erin Jones, Alaw Pyrs, Lily Terry, Lucy Isaac, Jess Rogers (co-captain)
Replacements: Abi Meyrick, Cana Williams, Lowri Williams, Milly Summer, Katie Bevans, Freya Bell, Savannah Picton Powell
