Wales for the Grand Slam?
France not easy
Wales have won four with one to play. The Grand Slam is within their grasp.
Wales vs France at Aberavon RFC, Port Talbot on Thursday, 16 March 2006
In the Six Nations this year there has not been a full series of matches, except for Wales. Wales have beaten England, Ireland,. Scotland and Italy. The Under-19 Triple Crown is theirs. Beat France and they will have a Grand Slam of victories.
It has been a good season for Wales Under-19, which began with a victory over the touring Australian Schoolboys.
Coach Justin Burnell has made eight changes to the team which beat Italy last week, returning to his strongest team, for France also won last weekend, beating England 20-17. France Under-19 are in fact also unbeaten, though they will not play Ireland this season.
Both teams will have an eye on the IRB's World Championship in Dubai which starts at the end of this month.
Teams:
Wales Under-19: 15 Martyn Thomas (Scarlets), 14 Alec Jenkins (Scarlets), 13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), 12 Ashley Smith (Dragons), 11 James Lewis (Dragons), 10 Rhys Jones (Sale/Exiles), 9 Robert Lewis (Dragons), 8 Lewis Evans (Dragons), 7 Daniel Franks (Blues), 6 Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), 5 Lou Reed (Scarlets), 4 Bradley Davies (Blues) (captain), 3 Jamie Corsi (Dragons), 2 Ken Owens (Scarlets), 1 Hugh Gustafson (Scarlets)
Replacements: 16 Keiron Jenkins (Blues), 17 Nicholas Eaves (Blues), 18 Matthew Larsen, 19 Marc Breeze (Ospreys), 20 Gareth Maule (Dragons), 21 Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), 22 Darren Allinson (Scarlets)
France Under-19: Mathieu Belie (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Mathieu Bastareaud (Massy), Simon Ternisien (Bayonne), Mathieu Nicolas (Bourgoin), Morgan Parra (Bourgoin), Adrien Tomas (Montpellier), Jean Monribot (Agen) (captain), Julien Tastet (Mont-de-Marsan), Alexandre Valdant (Bourgoin), Thomas Vervoort (Toulon), Pierre Martelière (La Rochelle),Julien Andoque (Toulouse), Benjamin Sore (Agen)
Replacements: Benjamin Thuriez (Toulouse), Mickaël Drouard (Pau), Robert Carabignac (Agen), Lagrange (Bayonne), Stéphane Clément (Toulouse), Cyriac Ponnau (Toulouse), Christophe Litzler (Clermont Auvergne)
Referee: Dean Richards (England)
Touch judges: Hugh Watkins, Mike Bethell (both Wales)
England Under-19 vs Ireland Under-19 at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, 17 March 2006
This is a direct warm-up for the IRB Under-19 Championship which starts later this month in Dubai, for England and Ireland will again meet there.
Teams:
England Under-19: 15 Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors), 14Oliver Dodge (Leicester Tigers) , 13 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), 12 Adam Powell (Saracens), 11 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), 10 Daniel Cipriani (London Wasps & Whitgift School), 9 Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs & SWERA), 8 David Tait (Sale Sharks), 7 Andrew Saull (Saracens & Bancroft’s School), 6 Alex Shaw (Leicester Tigers), 5 Ben Thomas (Saracens & Haileybury College), 4 David Attwood (Bristol Rugby & Bristol Uni), 3 Jack Forster (Gloucester) , 2 Ross McMillan (Nottingham), 1 Daniel Cole (Leicester Tigers).
Replacements: 16 Jordan Page (Leeds Tykes), 17 Charlie Beech (Northampton Saints), 18 Tom Mercey (Saracens), 19 Sam McDonald (Worcester Warriors), 20 Iain Grieve (Bristol Rugby), 21 Rob Springall (Leicester Tigers), 22 George Hughes (Bath), 23 Selorm Kuadey (Sale Sharks)
Ireland Under-19: 15 Sean Carey (Garbally College), 14 Shane Monahan (Dublin University), 13 Ivan Dineen (CBC Cork), 12 Ian Keatley (UCD), 11 Michael Barker (Queens University), 10 Brian Collins (Castleknock College), 9 Paul O’Donohoe (Belvedere College), 8 Kevin Sheahan (UCD), 7 David Pollock (Queens University) (captain), 6 Tommy O’Donnell (U.L. Bohemians), 5 Conor McInerney (UCD), 4 Thomas Anderson (Queens University), 3 James Gethings (Gonzaga), 2 David Gilchrist (UCD), 1 Cian Healy (Belvedere College)
Replacements: 16 Steven Verso (Blackrock College), 17 David Millard (Harlequins /St Mary’s College London), 18 Richard Sweeney (UCD), 19 Andrew Browne (Galwegians), 20 David Drake (Instonians), 21 Niall O’Connor (Limavady Grammar School), 22 Ian Whitten (Queens University), 23 Jonathon Graham (Ballynahinch)
Referee: Andy Macpherson (Scotland)
Touch judges: Kevin Stewart, David Kurk
Assessor: Roger Quittenton