Burrows gets Wales U20s starting spot

By Mark Stevens
29/6/22

Exeter Chiefs hooker Oli Burrows is one of three changes Wales Wales head coach Byron Hayward has made ahead of his side's clash with Georgia tomorrow at Stadio Monigo in the second round of the U20 Six Nations Summer Series (KO 4pm UK).

Burrows was used as a replacement in the opening fixture which saw Wales defeat Scotland 45-15 last Saturday. He is joined in the starting by No.8 Morgan Morse and Morgan Lloyd who replaces his injured Dragons team-mate at scrum-half.

Also included in the Wales pack from the outset will be Burrows' Exeter team-mates Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins, who form the second-row pairing.

"We felt the boys did a really good job for 50 minutes or so against Scotland and it allowed us to give the 26 players opportunities that I didn’t think we would be able to before the game," said Hayward when explaining his selection.

"We managed to look after a few of our front-line starters and give some boys game time which I wasn’t really expecting beforehand, so it is a vote of confidence really because the boys did the job," said Hayward.

"Oli and Efan have different roles this week. They are both top quality players and it’s a case of horses for courses. Georgia are going to be really confrontational and while Efan could match that confrontation, the energy he can bring coming off the bench gives us an extra dimension – those two players are good assets to have and we are blessed to have them."

For the second time in his short career, Morse scored as a replacement against Scotland to force his way into the starting line-up to face Georgia.

"For such a young lad Morgan never ever fails to impress," said Hayward.

 "He is the youngest in the squad by a mile but he never fails to impress and surprise us. We brought him out here as a seven. He may be quiet lad but he is a very intelligent rugby player. For his age, I don’t think I have ever seen anyone so professional. He forces us to select him – his work rate off the ball is phenomenal."

Despite a comfortable win against Scotland, Wales’ poor discipline has to be addressed if they are to gain future success in the competition said Hayward.

"We need a massive improvement in this game. In the second half we gave away seven penalties on the trot and had 17 in total. That’s been addressed in our review and the boys are aware of it. Giving away that number of penalties is unacceptable at any level.

"At the end of the day, we want to do well in this tournament, but we won’t if we give 17 penalties away."

WALES UNDER-20s SQUAD TO FACE GEORGIA U20s 

15 Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby)
14 Oli Andrew (Dragons)
13 Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby)
12 Joe Hawkins (Ospreys – Capt)
11 Harri Houston (Ospreys)
10 Dan Edwards (Ospreys)
9 Morgan Lloyd (Dragons);
1 Rhys Barratt (Cardiff Rugby)
2 Oli Burrows (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Nathan Evans (Cardiff Rugby)
4 Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs)
5 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs)
6 Ryan Woodman (Dragons)
7 Ethan Fackrell (Cardiff Rugby)
8 Morgan Morse (Ospreys)

Replacements

16 Efan Daniel (Cardiff Rugby)
17 Cameron Jones (Ospreys)
18 Adam Williams (Dragons)
19 Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby)
20 Benji Williams (Ospreys)
21 Rhodri Lewis (Ospreys)
22 Josh Phillips (Scarlets)
23 Bryn Bradley (Harlequins)
24 Joe Westwood (Dragons)
25 Iestyn Hopkins (Ospreys)
26 Ben Williams (Ospreys/Aberavon