Gwent duo drafted into starting XV

11:59am Thursday 21st February 2008

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WALES Under-20s coach Pat Horgan has urged the new faces to take their chance after shuffling his pack for the game with their Italian counterparts at Rodney Parade tomorrow evening.

In come Newport Gwent Dragons prospects Jason Tovey and Ashley Sweet, at full back and lock respectively after impressing with Bedwas and Cross Keys this season, as well as Ospreys centre Gareth Owen and Blues scrum half Rhys Webb.

The changes are made with an eye on June's World Championships, which Wales are hosting, but Horgan insists it will not be at the expense of a second Six Nations win.

"It's about giving players opportunities but getting a win is still priority number one," he said. "There are plenty of boys putting their hands up for selection and they have to take their chances when they come.

"There is no better way to see what players are capable of and where they are at in terms of development than in a game.

"It takes time to build the squad together and you need games to do that - it's impossible purely through training. And the players are pushing each other on with the competition for places.

"As coaches we want to have decisions to make and we want to have to pick from a competitive pool of players who are all as strong as each other."

Just like their senior side, the Italian Under-20s have made rapid strides and are force to be reckoned with. England, who beat Wales in the Six Nations opener at Gloucester, were narrow 22-13 victors in Genoa a fortnight ago and Horgan is expecting a similarly tough examination.

He said: "They did really well against England, who are a pretty good side, they will be strong up front and physical like the senior team. It will be tough but I'm sure we will come out on top if we apply ourselves properly, like we did in patches against Scotland.

"The 30 minutes at the start of the game against Scotland were tremendous and we need to maintain that level for longer.

"We were exceptional at times and the Scots couldn't live with us, but the scoreline should have been greater. We created a lot of opportunities and need to take them."

Wales U20: J Tovey (Dragons); L Halfpenny (Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), G Owen (Ospreys), J Norris (Dragons); D Biggar (Ospreys), R Webb; R Bevington (both Ospreys), R Prosser (Bristol Academy), S Andrews (Blues), A Sweet (Dragons) J Groves (captain, Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), N Cudd, J Turnbull (both Scarlets). Replacements: R Lawrence (Ospreys), L Evans, S Hobbs (both Blues), H Pugh, L Phillips, R Williams, D Evans (all Scarlets)