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10 Cardiff Blues players selected for Wales Under-20 and Wales Women

22nd February 2018


A total of 10 Cardiff Blues players have been selected to represent Wales Under-20 and Wales Women for the Six Nations encounters against Ireland over the weekend.

Wales Under-20

Eight Cardiff Blues players are included in Jason Strange's matchday squad for Wales Under-20's clash at Donnybrook on Friday (7.15pm)

With 10 changes made to the side that was defeated by England, Cardiff Blues duo Max Llewellyn and Owen Lloyd are set to make their first starts at Under-20 level, having made their debuts from the bench at Kingston Park a fortnight ago.

Ben Jones and James Botham return from injury to start at outside half and openside flanker respectively, while Iestyn Harris retains his spot at hooker.

Rhys Carre, who started both of Wales' opening Six Nations matches, is named on the bench alongside Ben Thomas and Dafydd Smith, who is in-line to make his debut.

Wales Under-20: Cai Evans (Ospreys); Joe Goodchild (Dragons), Callum Carson (Ospreys), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues), Tommy Rogers (Scarlets); Ben Jones (Cardiff Blues), Harri Morgan (Ospreys); Josh Reynolds (Dragons), Iestyn Harris (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Henry (Ospreys), Owen Lloyd (Cardiff Blues), Max Williams (Dragons), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers, capt), James Botham (Cardiff Blues), Taine Basham (Dragons)

Replacements: Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Jack Pope (Bridgend), Morgan Morris (Ospreys), Dan Babos (Dragons), Ben Thomas (Cardiff Blues), Dafydd Smith (Cardiff Blues)

Wales Women

Meanwhile, Rowland Phillips has made one change to the Wales Women side, who face Ireland at Donnybrook on Sunday (KO 3.00pm).

Scarlets full back, Lisa Neumann, has been drafted into the number 15 shirt, meaning that Cardiff Blues' Rhiannon Parker and Hannah Bluck are both retained in the starting backline.

Phillips' side look to bounce back from a heavy defeat to England in round two of the Women's Six Nations.

Ireland came out on top when the sides met in a warm-up match at Ystrad Mynach earlier this year, but Wales claimed victory in the last competitive clash during the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup at Belfast.

Wales Women: Lisa Neumann (Scarlets); Hannah Bluck (Cardiff Blues), Kerin Lake (Ospreys), Rebecca De Filippo (Dragons), Jess Kavanagh-Williams (RGC); Elinor Snowsill (Dragons), Rhiannon Parker (Cardiff Blues); Caryl Thomas (Scarlets), Carys Phillips (Ospreys, capt), Amy Evans (Ospreys), Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys), Mel Clay (Ospreys), Alisha Butchers (Scarlets), Beth Lewis (Scarlets), Sioned Harries (Scarlets)

Replacements: Kelsey Jones (Ospreys), Cara Hope (Ospreys), Meg York (Dragons), Natalia John (Ospreys), Nia Elen Davies (Scarlets), Jade Knight (Scarlets), Robyn Wilkins (Ospreys), Hannah Jones (Scarlets)