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The World Rugby Junior Championship has long served as a reliable proving ground for the next generation of international players.
From a Welsh perspective, outside-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, centre Steffan Emanuel, back-row forward Deian Gwynne and wing Tom Bowen have attracted much of the attention during this year’s tournament.
Yet Ospreys full-back Lewis Edwards deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. Calm under the high ball, composed in possession and increasingly influential, he has underlined his credentials throughout the campaign.
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It would be a surprise if the 19-year-old did not feature more prominently for the Ospreys next season.
“I’m really enjoying my rugby at the moment,” he told WalesOnline.
“I’ve been playing for Swansea in the SRC and that’s been going really well. I’m just taking every game as it comes.
“A personal goal of mine is to break into the Ospreys 23 and just go from there really.
“It’s a really good experience learning off some senior Wales internationals.”
The aerial contest has become one of the defining features of the modern professional game and, since World Rugby outlawed the use of escort runners, there are few positions more exposed than the back three.
It is also a role increasingly occupied by bigger, more physically imposing players. At 6ft 4in and more than 15st, Edwards fits that profile perfectly.
There are clear similarities with England full-back Freddie Steward. Like Steward, Edwards uses his height and timing to command the high ball, while his size and power make him a formidable presence in contact, giving him the ability to influence the game in both attack and defence.
“I’d like to think I’m quite good in the air and that’s a big part of the game at the moment,” he said.
“When I was younger I played in the backrow and then outside-half. I’ve only really played 15 over the last few years.
“I played a lot of cricket growing up so I was very 50/50 over what sport I’d commit to.
“The last three or four years I’ve put everything into rugby.
“When I first came into the Ospreys set-up they told me they saw me as a full-back so I went along with it.
“I know they’ve probably compared me to different people and seen me like them.”
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The man from Pontarddulais has been outstanding for Swansea RFC and has previously picked up the Super Rygbi Cymru player of the season award.
Edwards has also impressed this summer with Wales and while his aerial skill is his obvious point of difference he also hits good angles with ball in hand and makes intelligent decisions under pressure.
The powerful full-back had a fine game in the victory over Australia U20s and will wear the number 15 jersey in the fifth-place play-off against Scotland on Friday.
He is very much keeping his feet on the ground but the logical next step is to get into the Ospreys team but he will face stiff competition from the likes of new signing Tom Rogers and Iestyn Hopkins.
“That’s only going to make me better having competition like that,” he said.
“Over the next 18 months I’d like to make my Ospreys debut and go from there.
“We’ve signed a lot of Aussies now as well.
“I think a lot of their experiences in Super Rugby will help us.
“I’m excited to pick their brains on the game especially from an attacking point of view.
“I’m sure they’ll do well for us.
“It seems like a new start moving to St Helen’s.
“For a younger player like myself training with players who have played international rugby and Super Rugby (Lalakai Foketi and Lawson Creighton) will only help my development.”
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