13 Blue and Blacks have been rewarded for an impressive campaign as Wales under-18 head coach Liza Burgess announces a 45-strong national training squad.
The side is set to return to action against their fellow Six Nations outfit later this spring, with the squad being selected following a programme of WRU skills development centres and a regional performance programme culminating in two rounds of regional matches.
All five club outfits are represented in Burgess' squad, with Cardiff having the largest representation having topped the table after the second leg of action. Darren Bool's side won six of their eight matches, which included an unbeaten round at Merthyr RFC.
Cardiff captain, Gwennan Hopkins, are amongst the 13 Blue and Blacks included in the squad. She is joined in the pack by six of her club team mates in Fern Cumine, Georgia Morgan, Mia Davies, Izabel Wing, Katy Hudd and Nia Powell.
A further six backs are named with Gabby Healan, Grace Bellamy, Molly Reardon, Mya Dixon, Nell Powell and Rachel Thomas-Evans all earning their places in Burgess' plans.
Burgess, who is head coach of the U18 side, assisted by Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin, Oli Wilson, Marc Breeze and Siwan Lillicrap, said, “The build-up to this stage of the season has been brilliant. Firstly, the skills development centres run throughout the autumn, provided a perfect opportunity for players to develop and put their hands up for regional selection. The regional programme was an invaluable step-up from the New Year and the regions were outstanding in terms of the buy-in of the regional staff, coaches and especially the players themselves. The players were given a real taste of a performance programme in terms of quality coaching and conditioning work along with an introduction to other aspects of an elite environment such as analysis, nutrition and lifestyle choices.
“We were all impressed with the quality of rugby we saw from all regions both in training and at the Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr regional festivals and we just can’t wait to work with these young players and give them the tools they need to develop and perform, both at U18 level and beyond.”
A reduced Wales Women U18 squad is expected to compete against other Six Nations teams later in the spring, details to be confirmed, while there will also be further opportunities including with the introduction of a Wales U20 set-up.
Forwards
Cagla Buyukertas SCARLETS
Catrin Stewart RGC
Chelsea Chesters SCARLETS
Chloe Thomas Bradley DRAGONS
Dali Hopkins OSPREYS
Erin Jones RGC
Fern Cumine CARDIFF
Georgia Morgan CARDIFF
Gwennan Hopkins CARDIFF
Hannah Perry OSPREYS
Izabel Wing CARDIFF
Jess Rogers OSPREYS
Kaitlyn Prosser OSPREYS
Katy Hudd CARDIFF
Lowri Pritchard SCARLETS
Lowri Williams RGC
Lucy Isaac DRAGONS
Maisie Davies SCARLETS
Mali Edwards RGC
Mia Davies CARDIFF
Milly Summer Webb-Greenslade SCARLETS
Molly Rossiter SCARLETS
Molly Wakely DRAGONS
Nia Powell CARDIFF
Backs
Bronwen Griffin SCARLETS
Cadi Williams SCARLETS
Carys Hughes SCARLETS
Gabby Healan CARDIFF
Grace Bellamy CARDIFF
Jenna De Vera SCARLETS
Katie Bevans DRAGONS
Kelsie Webster RGC
Lauren Stevens DRAGONS
Leanna Elizabeth Maybank DRAGONS
Lowri Elias SCARLETS
Mollie Wilkinson WALES EXILES
Molly Powell DRAGONS
Molly Reardon CARDIFF
Mya Dixon CARDIFF
Natalia Barnes DRAGONS
Nel Metcalfe RGC
Nell Powell CARDIFF
Rachel Thomas-Evans CARDIFF
Savannah Picton-Powell DRAGONS
Sian Jones RGC