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Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin is confident the future is bright for Welsh rugby
Wales U20s centre Steffan Emanuel is in Steve Tandy’s plans(Image: Gareth Everett/Huw Evans Agency)
Three of Wales’ brightest young prospects took another step towards the senior international setup this summer, with U20s head coach Richard Whiffin revealing that Deian Gwynne, Steffan Emanuel and Lewis Edwards were included in the senior squad’s alignment camp.
Steve Tandy has held a series of alignment camps since getting appointed head coach of the senior men’s team as he builds towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
An alignment camp sees up to 50 players arrive at Wales’ Vale Resort HQ, all of which are on the selection radar.
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Bringing in uncapped players or players not called up in recent squads allows Tandy to keep them up to date on Wales’ plans, paving the way for a smoother transition should they get a call-up.
And this summer Ospreys full-back Edwards, Gloucester backrower Gwynne and Cardiff centre Emanuel were all present.
“That would be one of the reasons they were in and around it,” said Whiffin when asked whether these players had a chance of making Tandy’s senior Rugby World Cup squad in 2027.
“Steve wants to accelerate players as quickly as possible and wants to keep the base of players he’s looking at as broad as possible.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few more boys that age out of this tournament to be in and around the alignment camp going forward.
“It is then up to the players to go back to their regions and clubs to perform well but they are certainly not far away.
“The fact that the likes of Louie Hennessey is getting capped, Macs Page was in and around the training camp a few campaigns ago and Morsey (Morgan Morse) has also been capped.
“Boys know they aren’t far away and if they can compete and thrive at U20s level and really show up in their regions or clubs they know that Steve and the other senior coaches are keeping an eye on them.”
Wales U20s face Scotland in the fifth placed play-off at the Junior World Championship on Friday after a dramatic victory over Australia last weekend.
If they win it will be Wales’ highest placed finish since reaching the final in 2013 and Whiffin believes he has players with serious potential in his squad.
“We’ve definitely got players in this group who will play a significant amount of games for Wales,” he said.
“I think we will probably end up with some British Lions out of this group. I think it is that strong.
“That 20-23 age group is really important in how they get managed so they do get consistent game time but also not too much so they get an opportunity to grow and recover.
“Hopefully we can get some really good planning in with the regions and clubs around their perceived game time and where they see opportunities to develop.
“There’s five or six guys that will age out this year who will have a really big impact on the URC and Prem Rugby over the next season.”
Whiffin has been particularly impressed with full-back Edwards who he believes has a skillset suited to the senior international arena.
“He’s got a point of difference in his aerial game,” he said.
“What we’ve seen this tournament which we probably didn’t get an opportunity to see during the Six Nations was his kicking game.
“I think the length of his kicking game has been outstanding.
“He’s just grown into the role. Getting consistent game time has meant he’s been able to show the best part of himself.
“He’s a big physical man with a lovely skillset as well. He was in the SRC team of the year for a reason because he played consistently well when he was available for Swansea.
“I am actually really looking forward to seeing him get an opportunity in that Ospreys shirt because he’s got something different to a lot of the fifteens who are around at the moment.
“His aerial game is a point of difference which suits the test arena.”
He is also confident Wales have a number of very physical forwards coming through who will break into the senior game over the next couple of seasons.
“Will Evans has been a standout physically in the tournament,” he said.
“Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to play pre this campaign because of injury but it is great to see him being able to show his physicality.
“He’s someone that South Africans were pinpointing because they knew he was a weapon for us.
“I think Tom Howe for such a young lad is also physically developed and it’ll be interesting to see how he goes next year once he’s out of school and in a full-time professional environment at Cardiff.
“George Tuckley has also shown his physical capabilities. He’s a really powerful young player that held up well in the scrum.
“I think you’ll see a lot of these players from our U20s side filter certainly into the SRC but also URC over the next couple of years.”
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