Cardiff Rugby Under-18s will kick-off their preparations for the Regional Age-Grade Championship with a friendly against a Regional Development XV on Saturday.
The Under-18s will take on the invitational side made up of players identified through the local club system, with the fixture taking place as a curtain raiser to Cardiff RFC’s Christmas derby against Pontypridd.
Cardiff’s age-grade squad, who will be headed up by academy coaches Dan Fish and Craig Everett, will then take on RGC 1404 at Parc Eirias on January 7.
The Blue and Blacks finished second in the RAG U18 table last season but with the focus on developing talent rather than results, the greater success has been the continued progression from age-grade to first-team squad.
And Gruff Rees, Cardiff Academy Manager, is relishing the start of another campaign following a pleasing Schools and Colleges Competition.
He said: “We’re excited to start the Under-18s campaign with an exciting group, many who have come from a three-month program with the junior academy and a good schools and colleges block.
“Obviously Glantaf got a lot of headlines after reaching the final and there’s a good amount of those boys in the Under-18s, eight of them in the junior academy and four or five of the are in the process of being contracted to the senior academy.
“Cardiff and Vale College are always strong and had previously been a championship side for two years and are now resetting themselves. They have been at the World Schools Festival in Thailand, so those boys haven’t come in yet but they are a good group.
“Whitchurch have done well and it was also brilliant to see Coleg y Cymoedd do what was required to stay in Conference A. To have four schools and colleges in that top league is brilliant for us.
“There’s only five fixtures now but we’re also playing a Regional Development XV on Saturday. That’s against a group of boys who have been scouted in the club system - week in, week out we have eight to ten scouts working with the WRU Community Department to make sure we aren’t just looking at the schools and colleges but we are out and about watching and supporting the wider pathway.”
A greater reliance on young talent within the first team set-up now means progression can come quicker than ever before.
Just last season Lucas de la Rua was playing for the Under-18s squad before starring for Wales Under-20s two years early. He now has three first team appearances to his name including two European stars against the might of Toulouse and Bath.
“That was mentioned in my introduction speech last week,” smiles Rees. Not that I think there’s 34 players there who can expect the same but it is a nice reference point for those with high ambition.
“If you have the right attributions and application, you knuckle down and we can get you in the building, then beyond there are opportunities. Circumstances have helped Lucas but he has knuckled down and taken his opportunities.
“It’s a nice progression story for us but it just reinforces the point. If you look at that first-team group of players, there’s nine of ten players who have played for the Under-18s in the last few years.
“Seventy-one percent of our senior squad have come through our academy and that is the second highest in the three main leagues in Europe with only Leinster higher.
“That’s something were very proud of and we will keep challenging that and hopefully keep improving the quality.
“The key thing is how they adapt to senior training, the expectations there and how hopefully we're preparing them for that day in, day out, living like a pro. That can catch people out but thankfully a lot of these guys have seized that opportunity over the last few years or so.
“it’s also pleasing to see the likes of Alex Mann, Mackenzie Martin, Lucas and Cam Winnett working really closely in training and elsewhere the environment with experienced guys like Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkis, Willis Halaholo and Rey Lee-Lo. That is absolutely brilliant for their development.”
Cardiff Under-18s vs Regional Development Under-18s kicks off at 14:15 on Saturday, December 23. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for £3.