In the Youth Cup Final at 3.30pm, it’s Morriston Youth v Cardiff Met in what Morriston team manager Hugh Lewis describes as a David v Goliath affair.
The Swansea club has won Ospreys Division B and the Ospreys West Cup already this season and the team will be very well supported at Principality Stadium with five supporters’ busses booked!
Lewis, who is also Youth secretary at the club said, “Everybody’s excited. Nothing like this has happened to us since I’ve been involved. The boys have done really well.”
The side has had some high profile help this season in the form of Keelan Giles and wing Joe Thomas assisting coaches Paul Thomas, Steve White and Andy Powell.
“It’s huge for us as a team of people and players, it’s more than we could have ever dreamed of! It’s huge for the club and the community. Hopefully it’ll spur others onto get involved and come along to the club to play rugby. There’s a real feel good factor amongst the club right now.”
Attention now turns to the Final at the Principality, where the young side will face tough opposition against Cardiff Met. “We’re definitely going to have a tough game against them,” added Lewis. “They’re all first year university students making them third year youth and 19 year olds, so that will be a challenge, but one that we’re going to face head on. We’re well up for it. You could say it’s a David and Goliath match but we’re not going to go up there to be second best to anyone. It’s a challenge we’re really looking forward to!”
Meanwhile, Cardiff Met are hoping their second trip in three years to the WRU National Youth Cup final will be better than the last one.
In 2017 they fell at the last hurdle against Cowbridge Youth, but they are back on the big stage this weekend in the showpiece fixture in the Youth Finals Day at Principality Stadium.
“The Youth programme has been very good once again this season and our WRU Hub officer, Rhys Roberts, has done a great job on the coaching front with Dragons scrum half Rhodri Davies and Nick Fish,” said Cardiff Met director of rugby, Danny Milton.
“We’ve had a good season all round and it’s great that we are regularly field 10 sides as a club. The Youth team have been strong all season, despite having 12 players still eligible to play for them who have been featuring in our BUCS Super Rugby and WRU Championship sides.
“We are obviously fortunate in that all our Youth team players are third year age, but they have put in a great effort to reach the final. It promises to be a great day out for everyone connected to our club.”
Morriston will come into the game on a high after winning 19 and drwing two of their 23 games to date this season. Cardiff Met have only lost three games – by a point to St Peter’s (25-24) on the opening day of the season and then to Rumney and Mountain Ash.
The students warmed-up for the final with a 50-10 win over Pontypridd in their last outing and are in second place in the WRU Blues Premiership National Youth League.
Route to the final:
WRU Youth Cup Final – Morriston v Cardiff Met 3.30pm
Morriston won at Mumbles (41-7), beat Nant Conwy at home (7-0) and Crymych (17-13) away before overcoming Brecon (21-17) in the semi-finals. Cardiff Met won away at Penarth (34-31) before beating Newport HSOB (52-0), Merthyr (22-0) and Rumney (32-14) at home and then trouncing Ystrad Rhondda (50-0) in the semi-finals.
WRU Youth Plate Final – Cardiff Quins v Penallta 1.15pm
Quins beat: Cwmtwrch (31-0), Llanelli Wanderers (29-7), Pontyclun (17-15), Nelson (18-14)
Penallta beat: Caldicot (19-5), Penclawdd (24-22), Haverfordwest (23-13)
WRU Youth Bowl Final – Resolven v Tenby United 11am
Resolven beat: Cwmgors (55-3), Mold (57-3), Gowerton (41-7), Porthcawl (16-12), Cwmavon (27-22)
Tenby beat: Milford Haven (50-0), Briton Ferry (29-17), Llanishen (17-16), Pentyrch (47-14)
Tickets to National Youth Finals Day are £5 adults, free entry for under 16s.
Following Youth Finals Day, the National Touch Finals will take place on the hallowed turf of Principality Stadium for the final event of the 2019 Road to Principality series. The finals kick off at 5.30 and it’s free entry for all.
