Wales Students’ head coach Clive Griffiths has released his squad for the Four Nations in Nottingham that starts next Sunday 29th June.
Wales open their campaign by taking on Scotland (kick-off 2pm). They then face England on Wednesday 2nd July (kick-off 7pm) before finishing their campaign against Ireland on Saturday 5th July (2pm).
Up to 12 players could be pulling on a Wales shirt in an international match for the first time. There are 16 potential new caps for the students side in the 21-man squad, with four of those players having previously played for Wales junior international sides. The squad will be reduced to 20 before next week following a late fitness test.
Llewellyn Hawkes and Mason Phillips, two of those who have previously starred for Wales Students, have been appointed co-captains.
Eight of the players hail from the successful Swansea University side, who won Varsity for the second year in a row, finished second in their league and recently won the Sport Swansea Team of the Year trophy.
All of the players have featured for Clive Griffiths side in at least one of the three warm-up games for Wales Students, that saw a win (over Rhondda Outlaws), a draw (against South Wales Jets) and a loss (to the RAF).
The Welsh will have to pull out all the stops to win the tournament. Of the 17 times that the Four Nations have been competed, England have taken the title 14 times, including the last six events.
Wales won the tournament in 2004, 2009 and 2012, the last two times under Griffiths’ coaching.
Now Griffiths is back to where it all started for him in his coaching career, which is when he was appointed by Dr Clive Melling to coach the Wales Students back in 1988. He held that role until 1992, transferring to the full Wales men’s international side, where he coached between 1991-2000. He coached Wales Students again from 2008-13, returning for this year’s campaign.
The Ireland match will be the 71-year old’s 71st game as head coach of a Wales side against international opposition.
Griffiths said: “It’s been a joy to be back involved with Wales Students. It’s where it all started for me.
“We’ve had a decent build-up with three competitive matches. This will be a huge physical challenge with another three matches in the space of six days.
“Sadly we’ve had a few players unavailable, and some injuries with Jacob Purcell and Dylan Morgan only ruled out this week, so it has been a tough build-up.
“But I’ve seen all of these players in action in the warm-up games and I’m confident that they will give 100 percent when they take the field, for the eight who have played for Wales before, to the 12 who will be singing Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau on the pitch for the first time. Ymlaen Cymru.”
Wales squad: Llewellyn Hawkes (cc), Alex Naylor*, Fin Northrop* (all Cardiff University), Scott Simons (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Mason Phillips (cc) (University of Central Lancashire), Mason Apsee*, Alex Green, George Groves* (both Coleg y Cymoedd), Leo Jones* (University of Exeter), Lewis Howells*, Iwan Stacey* (both University of Nottingham), Nat Cotton*, Lewis Ingram, Conor Madden*, Evan Moore*, Tom Moore, Charlie Penton*, Connor Thomas*, Eli Weekes*, Archie Whillock* (all Swansea University). Reserve: Rhys Hill* (Cardiff University).
Full fixtures (all at Highfields Sports Ground, University of Nottingham)
Sunday 29th June
2pm Scotland v Wales
4pm England v Ireland
Wednesday 2nd July
5pm Ireland v Scotland
7pm England v Wales
Saturday 5th July
2pm Wales v Ireland
4pm England v Scotland
