Dragons U18s begin their Under-18s Regional Age-Grade (RAG) Championship this weekend at home to Cardiff.
The Young Men of Gwent host Cardiff and Rygbi Gogledd Cymru in the summer block, either side of a trip to Ospreys before finishing at Scarlets.
Dragons U18s are captained by flanker Gethin Tudball against Cardiff, with the Bedwas product joined by Newbridge’s Jake Leighton and Caerleon’s Troy Raymond in a returning back row.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth pupil Olly Beynon is joined by Newport High School Old Boys player Gethin Clarke with Pontypool Utd’s Logan Leonard and Bargoed’s Gabe Pugh either side of Whitehead’s Morgan Suller in the front row.
Whithead players are at half-back in Isaac Williams and Elliot Young along with centre George Bradbury who is inside Newbridge’s Olly Morris.
The back three sees Penallta’s Elis Anderson at fullback, alongside wings Dylan Cole and Rhys Dyer of Caerphilly and Caerleon respectively.
Jayden Coxe (Penallta), Iwan Williams (Machen), Yi Sheng Chi (Risca), Rafe Llewelyn (Monmouth) and Zac Little (Whitehead) are the forwards on the bench with Johsua Johnson (Risca), Liam Lawlor (Bedwas) and Jack Williams (Abergavenny) rounding out the 23.
Captain Tudball is one of several returning players withing the 23 for the opening weekend and is looking forward to starting the Championship.
“It’s been a long block, the boys have been working hard, putting a lot of effort in,” said Tudball. “We’ve been up Merthyr Mawr, playing Saracens away and it’s been building really nicely.”
“That work has translated to training with the boys being really competitive and we can’t wait now.
“The main thing from Merthyr Mawr was about being together as a team and sticking through that experience, it’s never going to be easy but that togetherness is really showing on the field.”
Tudball captained the U17s last summer and has now stepped up to captaining the older age-group on the opening weekend.
A pupil at Coleg y Cymoedd, Tudball is revelling in learning off several different coaches at Dragons, college and at club level.
“I think it’s important to learn off as many coaches as possible, we’ve got James Benjamin, Adam Thomas and Harrison Keddie who’ve taught me a lot here but also Geraint Lewis is really good to learn off,” said Tudball.
“I joined Bedwas for youth last year, we’ve got a really nice environment and there’s a really good pathway up into the seniors and they are keen on development from within.
“We’re building up for a good season and there’s a few boys in the Dragons U18s squad.
“There’s a lot of diversity with a lot of boys coming from different clubs and I think that’s good as everyone’s coming to the table with different experiences as everyone plays differently.”
Dragons U18s: Ellis Anderson (Penallta); Rhys Dyer (Caerleon), Olly Morris (Newbridge), George Bradbury (Whitehead), Dylan Cole (Caerphilly); Elliot Young (Whitehead), Isaac Williams (Whitehead); Logan Leonard (Pontypool Utd), Morgan Suller (Whitehead), Gabe Pugh (Bargoed), Olly Beynon (Haberdashers’ Monmouth), Gethin Clarke (NHSOB), Gethin Tudball (Bedwas) Capt., Jake Leighton (Newbridge), Troy Raymond (Caerleon).
Replacements: Jayden Coxe (Penallta), Iwan Williams (Machen), Yi Sheng Chi (Risca), Rafe Llewelyn (Monmouth), Zac Little (Whitehead), Johsua Johnson (Risca), Liam Lawlor (Bedwas), Jack Williams (Abergavenny).
