The banners on the walls of Wales’ national centre of excellence in the Vale of Glamorgan are designed to motivate the country’s finest rugby talent.
One shows the number of Six Nations titles and Grand Slams won over the years, the past glories rightly celebrated while also serving as a means of bringing the best out of the modern generation. Others are emblazoned with the slogan ‘this is where we build our victories’ — the message delivered in Welsh AND English.
‘It’s open access here mate,’ says Richard Whiffin, Wales’ Under 20 head coach and the man charged with bringing back success at junior level.
‘Welsh rugby needs its friends in the media.’ Amen.
After what has been a more-than-difficult 18 months, there are signs of life in the country’s national game — particularly in the age-grade system.
In the 2025 junior Six Nations, Whiffin’s Under 20 side have recorded two wins from three matches, beating Italy and Ireland ahead of their round-four clash with Scotland on Friday. Behind the scenes, there are also positive signs of alignment in the pathway operation. Wales’ status as a small rugby ecosystem should be its strength.
Wales Under 20 players are put through their paces as they work hard on their scrummaging
The youngsters put the work in at the gym as they push for success in their own Six Nations
Lock Luke Evans lines up a darts throw as the young Wales stars enjoy a bit of down time
But for too long, there have been fractions and infighting. Now, at last, things are changing.
‘I have been positive about what we’ve been doing for the last year or more. The wins help reinforce that,’ says Wales Under 20 team manager and Welsh Rugby Union performance manager Andy Lloyd.
‘There have been green shoots for about 12 to 18 months now and we have started to see the tide turning. But we can’t rest on our laurels. Two wins doesn’t mean everything is all right all of a sudden.’
Mail Sport was invited to spend a day in camp with Wales’ junior side ahead of their meeting with Scotland and Whiffin was true to his word. Nothing was off limits.
‘There has been a realisation we need to put our resources into the development pathway — it’s been left for far too long, but that has changed,’ Whiffin says.
‘The narrative that there are not enough good players in Wales has been shot down in the last two weeks. There are enough good players. We’ve just got to give them the right support.’
After presiding over an unwanted national record run of 14 straight Test defeats, Warren Gatland departed his role as senior head coach before the team’s 27-18 loss to Ireland.
Matt Sherratt took charge for that game as interim boss. And while the winless run extended to 15 matches, Wales’ performance showed real signs of promise. It came on the same weekend that the Under 20 side beat the men in green for the first time since 2017. ‘There’s been a really good feelgood factor about the building this week,’ Whiffin says.
Head coach Richard Whiffin (right) is feeling positive about the future of Welsh rugby
The players relax in the mess hall with chicken tikka wraps popular with Whiffin’s squad but there are no set meals as the number of calories consumed is different for each individual
The U20s train in ‘the barn’ but don’t live in their camp during their Six Nations tournament
‘I’ve spoken a lot to Matt since he’s joined. It was great he mentioned our result. There are now lots of smiles around the place. It was a great week for Welsh rugby and a step forward. We’ve put some pride back in the jersey.’
Unlike their English rivals, Wales’ Under 20 players aren’t in camp constantly throughout the Six Nations. They arrive for training days at what is known in Welsh rugby as ‘the barn’ in the early afternoon and work into the evening. A darts board in the training room keeps the players entertained during down periods.
On arrival, squad members are provided with the fuel required to keep growing rugby players going through a busy schedule which includes weights, conditioning and rugby sessions. There are no set meals.
Chicken tikka wraps are popular with Whiffin’s squad and on the day Mail Sport visits, an oat-based snack with a Biscoff topping is particularly well received. George Morgan is the nutritionist for Wales’ pathway teams and spent 10 years at Saracens, working with the likes of Owen Farrell among many others.
‘The number of calories consumed is different for each individual. When we enter camp, we’re trying to get a lot done very quickly so it’s all about fuelling the boys to make sure they’re ready,’ he says.
‘For example, Jordan Morris, a prop who was with the Under 20s last season, is vegetarian. I’ve only ever seen one vegetarian and one vegan across the whole of my rugby career, so we have to look at providing other sources of protein. That means a lot of lentils!’
Legends (from left) Gethin Jenkins, Ryan Jones and Adam Jones celebrate Wales’ third Grand Slam in eight years in 2012 — a golden period which Whiffin and Co. are determined to recreate
Wales may have lost again — against Ireland — in the last round of Six Nations matches but it was a much-improved performance which hints they may soon turn the corner with results
Matt Sherratt, who stepped in as Wales interim coach after Warren Gatland left the role at the start of the Six Nations, has kept a keen interest in the fortunes of the national team’s U20s
Wales’ last junior Six Nations title came in 2016 and the struggles at Under 20 level in the years since that success are now being seen on the game’s elite stage.
The WRU have recognised the need to act. A 60-strong list of the most promising junior Welsh talent has been drawn up to ensure that those players receive the best possible coaching and conditioning support. Captain Harry Beddall, Sam Scott, Steffan Emanuel and Harri Thomas all have the look of future internationals.
In an astonishing defensive display against Ireland, flanker Beddall (34) and hooker Thomas (23) made more tackles combined than the whole of the opposition side.
‘When I left school, I was going to do an electrician’s course,’ says Thomas, who is contracted to the Scarlets. ‘That’s what my heart was set on. But Euros Evans who coached me at Llandovery phoned my dad and asked if I could give rugby a go for a couple of years and here I am. If it wasn’t for Euros, I’d probably be on a building site now.’
The confidence of Wales’ next generation has gone to another level after the Italy and Ireland wins. Whiffin’s players cheer each other on during weights sessions. If a new personal best is reached, the individual who has done so has to ring a bell to mark the milestone. Cheers all round.
Saul Hurley and Jac Pritchard are the strongest members of the squad, squatting 240 kilos (520lb) and bench pressing 170kg (375lb) respectively. Such numbers are comparable with the country’s senior players.
The WRU continues to face problems in losing talent to the other side of the Severn Bridge — many of whom are attracted to join private schools in England by the offer of scholarships — but Whiffin is confident that trend can start to be reversed.
‘I’m confident we’ll see more players based in England come back in the coming weeks because they’re seeing their counterparts in Wales get more game time,’ Whiffin says.
‘There is no silver bullet, but our younger players are coming through and they are rugby ready now. That’s come through the alignment we’ve got from top to bottom.’
