It has been an outstanding season for the Union’s exceptional and highly competitive age grade competition.
Never before has the competition been so intense. Five teams – North Wales were entered for the first time – doing battle on a weekly basis to see who could reach the summit.
Of course, there can only be one winner, but when the dust settles on this particular finale, the Union can reflect on five winners, five regions who in their own way have developed out of all recognition.
From the opening night when, ironically, the Scarlets and Ospreys met for the first time this season, it has been a nip and tuck affair. The Blues, who took the Ospreys’ scalp at Llandarcy and the Dragons, who were transformed in the second half of the season, provided significant competition, whilst Gogledd Cymru, who lost their opening game 75-0 to the Scarlets, on home soil, were far from pushovers come the final weeks of the qualifying campaign.
Today’s game will be every bit as competitive. The Ospreys were 10-7 winners over the Scarlets when the sides met back in September whilst the return fixture finished in a 10-10 draw. Nothing to choose between the sides on that occasion and unlikely to be much between them once again today.
Eli Walker and Mike Sully were the try scorers for the Ospreys in the first fixture, but in the ensuing weeks, the region displayed its all round strength with no fewer than a dozen other players having crossed for tries.
Likewise, the Scarlets, for whom Kirby Myhill has been an inspirational figure throughout the season, the scoring has been handed around. Nine seperate try scorers against Gogledd Cymru, six different contributors in the 38-18 victory over the Dragons and no fewer than half a dozen more in the games against the Blues.
Dale Ford’s boot has been significant for the Scarlets in their push for honours, whilst the Ospreys’ full back Tom Prydie has shown himself to be every bit as consistent.
WRU Age Grade administrator Nick Rose said; “All three age grade competitions have been foercely but fairly contested this season and we are looking forward with anticipation of a great game here.
“Both sides have had their ups and downs, but both have justifiably qualified for the final. I think we should sit back and take in what promises to be a great occasion for the age grade game in Wales.
Scarlets: L Rees; G North, D Ford, L Williams, A Warren; J Roberts, A Davies; R Jenkins, J Cromwell, G Havard, E Siggery, L Hamilton, K Myhill, L Renalds, S Phillips. Replacements: R Evans, J Howard, G O’Reilly, S Parry, J Ronowitz, R Davies, S Shingler, J Russell, T Ellis
Ospreys: T Prydie; B Davies, B John, D Howell, S Hughes; C Banfield, D Davies; D Saines, G Harvey, W Taylor, B Thomas, B Davies, L Peers (capt), M Sully, A Hillier-Rees. Replacements: M Morgan, Ryan Jones, Rhys Jones, L Myatt, M Wedlake, A Evans, S Treharne
