The RAG competition has come full circle for our Dragons U18s.
After facing Ospreys at home on the opening weekend they now face the same side again, hoping for a slice of revenge, this time in the semi-finals.
Following last weekend’s superb win at Cardiff, Dragons finished third in the table and go to Llandovery on Sunday full of confidence.
“I’m really pleased with the development of the boys,” said Academy coach Ceri Jones.
“We had a hard game against the Scarlets, but before that to go up to RGC and manage to put 40 points on them.
“I think the whole experience was good for the boys, going up, staying overnight, going through how a professional weekend would look for them, so I think in terms of experiences, the boys have had a really good year.
“We're just hoping we can back that up and go and beat the Ospreys in the semi and, put ourselves in a position in the final to see where we can go from there.”
Last weekend’s 29-26 away win at Cardiff saw Dragons score some really good tries and would have been more convincing but for a late Cardiff fightback.
“We've been pretty physical right the way through the block,” said Jones. “I think the work rate of the group was evident."
“Morgan our analyst has come back with some stats around the game, and I think it was over 35 minutes ball in play, which is as high as the international game.
“A lot of the stats came out in terms of carries the players made and tackles which were right up there with international quality.
“We've shown now we can play at that sort of level and I think if we can replicate that, and replicate that speed ball in what we're trying to do in attack and bring that physicality in defence, then we’ll be a difficult team to beat.”
Origin Round Celebration
Sunday’s game at Llandovery’s Church Bank stadium is also special as the U18s, like the senior side, will be wearing their origin socks.
Having worn club shirts in training as they prepared for the start of the competition, it further emphasises the commitment Dragons have to their community and local teams.
Captain Cerrig Smith has played across the back five of the scrum this championship and fully appreciates the opportunities he owes to his first club Abercarn RFC.
“I started for Abercarn when I was five,” said Smith. “My old man and his best mate started the minis side for us.”
“So I've played rugby since I was a baby really. “We just played up through youth then and a few of the boys are in the RAG team now from Abercarn, we've just come through really well and it all came from the coaches, really.
“We can't ask for more of them.”
Of course, Abercarn won’t be the only club or school represented.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth, Caerphilly RFC, Oakdale RFC, Deri RFC, Cwmbran RFC, Blackwood RFC, Penallta RFC, Risca RFC and Senghenydd RFC as well as Pontypool Utd and Ebbw Vale RFC will all be represented on Sunday.
“I’ve been lucky this year to be a captain for Pontypool Utd,” said flanker Harri Jacob.
“It’s an opportunity I’ve been waiting for since I joined the club at under 12s. It’s something I've been building towards.
“To play for that team [Pontypool Utd] and put that jersey on, it means the world. It’s something I look forward to every week when I play for them.
“It’s my third year with Dragons and we’ve got new coaches this year with Ceri Jones, and he’s been brilliant.
“It’s a higher level here, but to go back there it’s fun, it’s youth, but everyone thinks the world of the club and plays as they would for Dragons, it’s everything to us.”
Team Selection
So who are the lucky 23 to take on Ospreys in the semi-finals?
Starting in the back three, Haberdashers’ Monmouth’s Harry Dawes is at fullback, fresh from his match-sealing score against Cardiff and is joined by Caerphilly’s Noah Morgan and Blackwood’s Rhys Cole who scored a brace in the capital.
Senghenydd RFC’s Ryley Fussell is joined once again by Oakdale’s Ethan Paterson with fellow ‘Saints’ player Will Ford at 10 and Cai Wardman of Penallta at scrumhalf.
The backrow is two-thirds Pontypool United as Luke Daniel and Jacob are on either flank with Cwmbran’s Tiehi Chatham at eight.
Captain Smith is in the second row with Penallta’s Joshua Parfitt and up front are Monmouth’s Regan Jones along with Pontypool pair Chester Creel and Scott Crewe.
On the bench, Risca’s Tiaan Hall will look to make an impact along with Pontypool front rowers Lewys Robinson-Blanche and Max Woodward meanwhile Ebbw Vale’s Sam Walters and Elliot Beaven of Cwmbran are the other forward replacements.
Caerphilly’s Carter Pritchard is joined by the two Morgan’s, Cusack of Deri and Carter from Pontypool Utd as the backs replacements.
Dragons U18s: Harry Dawes (Haberdashers’ Monmouth); Noah Morgan (Caerphilly RFC), Ryley Fussell (Senghenydd RFC), Ethan Paterson (Oakdale RFC), Rhys Cole (Blackwood RFC); Will Ford (Senghenydd), Cai Wardman (Penallta RFC); Regan Jones (Monmouth), Chester Creel (Pontypool Utd), Scott Crewe (Pontypool), Joshua Parfitt (Penallta), Cerrig Smith (capt.) (Abercarn RFC), Luke Daniel (Pontypool), Harri Jacob (Pontypool), Tiehi Chatham (Cwmbran RFC).
Replacements: Tiaan Hall (Risca RFC), Lewys Robinson-Blanche (Pontypool), Max Woodward (Pontypool), Sam Walters (Ebbw Vale RFC), Elliot Beaven (Cwmbran), Carter Pritchard (Caerphilly), Morgan Cusack (Deri RFC), Morgan Carter (Pontypool).
