In the sole change to the starting line-up from the team who beat Scotland 31-7 in Aberdeen last Friday, centre Gavin Evans was not fit for consideration with Cardiff’s Dafydd Hewitt partnering Andrew Bishop (Ospreys) in the midfield.
“Gavin has had a recurrence of the shoulder injury he picked up against England so Daffyd comes in after performing very well as a replacement against Scotland,” said coach Chris Davey.
Wales have beaten England 32-21, Italy 40-3, France 20-19 and Scotland 31 – 7 on their way to the Grand Slam showdown on the eve of Michael Owen’s senior side aiming for the same prize at the Millennium Stadium. Wales have won the Under 21 Grand Slam twice before – in 1999 and 2003 – and are now in sight of an unprecedented treble.
“It is a very big week for us,” said Davey, who coached the Under 21s to both previous titles. “We have tried to avoid talking of the Grand Slam but now we cannot avoid it – that is the reality of what is on offer on Friday night. And, if we play to our potential, I am confident we can get the right result.”
Wales U21: Ricky Williams (Newport); Aled Brew (Ospreys), Andrew Bishop(Ospreys), Dafydd Hewitt (Cardiff), Chris Czekaj (Cardiff); Matthew Jones (Ospreys), James Ireland (Newport); Scott Roberts (Bridgend), Duane Goodfield (Pontypridd), Cai Griffiths (Neath), Alun Wyn Jones (Swansea), Ian Evans (Neath), Chris Davies (Bridgend), James Merriman (Hartpury College/Gloucester), Jonathan Mills (Scarlets).
Replacements: Rhys James (UWIC), Phillip Osbourne (Cardiff), Ben Thomson (Newport), Tom Smith (Neath), Aled Thomas (Carmarthen Quins), Tom Riley (Pontypridd), Wayne Evans (Carmarthen Quins)
