Cardiff Rugby Under-18s will kick-off their WRU Regional Age-Grade Championship against RGC on Sunday.

The Blue & Blacks have named a 44-man squad for the competition, with a mix of players returning for their second campaign and younger players given their first taste of Under-18s action. 

Cardiff are running an expanded Under-18s programme this season, with an increased provision and coaching for the youngsters, of whom the majority have featured throughout the Welsh Schools and Colleges League. 

Josh Turnbull will lead the programme following his appointment as an academy coach and he is excited by the prospect of continuing to develop the next generation. 

He said: “We have a really strong group and a good mix of boys in their second year and those a year younger, who we are looking to get some really good development with 

“All of our A-Licence teams enjoyed a positive Schools and Colleges campaign, with Coleg Cymoedd obviously reaching the final.

“The majority of our players have come from these schools and colleges and they are now looking forward to getting out there and having meaningful regional games to put themselves in the shop window for Wales honours and academy contracts.

“It’s important that we use our strength and that’s the number of boys we have coming through our system and giving as many as we can the opportunity to excel.

There’s obviously a balance to strike and we want to win but it is also vital that we develop talent and utilise our squad.”

Focusing on Sunday’s opener at the Arms Park (2:30pm), which is free to Season Members, Turnbull continued: “Last year we didn’t fare too well and lost to RGC in the first game and the boys really want to put that right.

“Focusing on this weekend, the main aim is to put into practice everything that we have been working on in the last five weeks. We have treated this period as a bit of a mini pre-season. 

“We have changed the programme so the boys are in for four hours, three times a week, increasing the amount of gym sessions they do with us and the time on pitch to up-skill them, and we are seeing enormous benefits from that.  There has been a really impressive physical development in the boys from junior academy to this point and that will only help them 

“Throughout the pathway, we are also fully aligned with the senior squad in terms of playing style and we want to see those same characteristics of fight and enjoyment. 

“We asked the players to present to us this week on what their USP is and what they want the team to represent and there was a big focus on being selfless, being effective in clear outs etc, working hard for the team, kick-chase and all those little things that help the big things happen. If we can do that, we are on the right path.

“RGC will be strong at the set-piece and they have some quick backs. From seeing their lads that have trained with Wales Under-18s, they have a talented group and some exciting players but it will all come down to nullifying their set-piece.” 

44-man squad: Dylan Barratt (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Vinnay Cleak (Whitchurch H S), Harvey Jones (Glantaf), Tom Howe (Glantaf), Jack Morris (Whitchurch H S), Elgan Williams (Glantaf), Sion Hill (Glantaf), Jack Clease (Cavc), Movado Hall (Cavc), Issac Jones (Junior Academy), Sonny Mccabe (Whitchurch H S), Lucca Alexander-White (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Gabe Williams (Glantaf), Niall Moore (Whitchurch H S ), Osian Howells (Cavc), Tom Christopher (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Ben Bora (Cavc), Josh Davies (Cathedral School), Bryana Kamanga (Llandovery), Alfie Prygodzicz (Glantaf), Theo Williams (Whitchurch H S), Ioan Dacey (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Matt Halsall (Whitchurch H S), Ethan Evans (Whitchurch H S), Rhys Rutley (Whitchurch H S), Mason Daniels (Glantaf), Arthur Garfield (Epsom College), Ben Coomer (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Lloyd Lucas (Glantaf), Fraser Britton (Whitchurch H S), Josef Jones (Glantaf), Fin Hart (Cavc), Harrison Nixon (Clifton College), Ioan Penry (Glantaf), Ioan Leyshon (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Bailey Cutts (Glantaf), Calen Edwards (Coleg Y Cymoedd), Harry Turner (Whitchurch H S), Joe Fernandez (Glantaf), Salem Kimabi, Will Adams (Glantaf), Rhys Cummings (Cavc), Rhys Wyatt (Coleg Y Cymoedd).