Last year saw nine days of action, 32 matches, 64 teams and more than 2,000 players take part. This year it will be the schoolboys who take centre stage for the opening event.
This year the Welsh Schools Senior Group Male U18 Finals will be played on the same hallowed turf on which the Wales and England players did battle in the Six Nations last weekend 92 players feature in the Cup, Vase and Plate finals. The female equivalent finals take place in April.
The games kick-off at the following times and entry to Principality Stadium, via Gate 3 on Westgate Street, is free:
U18 Plate Final – Ysgol Dyffryn Taf v Merthyr College (kick-off 11.30am)
U18 Vase Final – Ysgol Calon Cymru v Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr (kick-off 2.00pm)
U18 Cup Final – Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera v Ysgol Y Strade (kick-off 4.30pm)
Former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies will be hoping to inspire his former school, Dyffryn Taf in Whitland, to carry off the title in the Plate Final. They face Merthyr College and Davies is due to hand out the shirts prior to kick-off.
Ysgol Ystalyfera will be bidding to hold onto the title they won at Principality Stadium last year when they beat Christ College, Brecon in the U18 Cup Final 36-26. Included in the Ystalyfera side that day was current Wales U20 back row man Morgan Morse.
Morgan Morse playing for Wales U20 this year
They beat Christ College in the semi-finals to make it back-to-back finals and will now face Ysgol y Strade. They have met once before this season, with Ystalyfera running out winners by 26-17 at home in the Carmarthenshire League. Last weekend saw two old boys from Ystalyfera, Dan Edwards and Owen Willimns, start for Wales at No 10 against England in both the U20 and senior internationals.
Builth Wells-based Ysgol Calon Cymru will meet Swansea’s Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr in the Vase Final.
U18 PLATE RESULTS
23 November – Semi Final
Dyffryn Taf 28 – 7 Porthcawl
Merthyr College 22 – 3 Rhydywaun
16 November – Quarter Final
Merthyr College 29 – 17 Caerleon
15 November
Penweddig 0 – 49 Dyffryn Taf
10 November – Round 1
Bryn Tawe 7 – 29 Dyffryn Taf
9 November
Monmouth 0 – 0 Merthyr College
* Merthyr won on toss of coin.
U18 Plate Final – Ysgol Dyffryn Taf v Merthyr College (kick-off 11.30am)
Ysgol Dyffryn Taf: Lennon Reynolds; Matthew Almond, Jac Vaughan, Tyler Reynolds, Alex Coaker; Harry Clapperton, Cory Delaney; Thomas Monk, Daniel Howells, Jack Worthing, Scott Blackhouse, Osian Rees, Tecwyn Thomas, Toby Rees, Iestyn Comey (captain)
Reps: Trei James, Harry Lloyd, Ethan Ryan, Cody Davies, Aeron Williams, Jack Mousley, Daniel Evans, Ellis Phillips
Merthyr Tydfil College: Alex Mason; Connor Friel, Coby Jay Harris, Drew Hope, Sam Davies; Lewie Crockett, Luis Price; Callum Worwood, Joe Robbins, Colby Morgan, Finn Powell, Zac Gerrish, Sol Hadley (captain), Ryan Luker, Teilo Harris
Reps: Noah Williams, Joshua Davies, Gethin Jones, Sam Jones, Logan Hannah , Charlie Scrivens, Riley Morgan, Ryan Astley
U18 VASE RESULTS
25 November – Semi Final
Olchfa 8 – 13 Gwyr
23 November
Calon Cymru 19 – 10 Garth Olwg
17 November – Quarter Final
Calon Cymru 55 – 26 St Cenydd
Gwyr 16 – 15 Coleg y Dderwen
U18 Vase Final – Ysgol Calon Cymru v Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr (kick-off 2.00pm)
Ysgol Calon Cymru: George Lloyd; Evan Dyke, Sam Bridgewater, Will Davies, Zak Baker, Oakley Middleton; Badyn Powell, Ieuan Evans; Ceri Davies; P K Jones, Deri Mason, Louis Davies (co-captain), Iwan Holder, Owain Corbett, Ciaran Price (co-captain)
Reps: Ryan Jones, Elliot Owen, Matthew Price, Tom Evans, Iwan Davies, Lewis Bevan, Cian Price, Jayden Warren
Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr: Harrison Lloyd; Osian Fitzgerald-Davies, Lewis Edwards, Jamie Mann, Joseff Walters; Jonny Adkins (captain), Cai Gealy; Sam Gale, Lion Jones, Cian Brooks, Arun Templeton, Thomas O’Brien, William Douglas, Evan Davies, Sion Killa
Reps: Rhydian Payne, Dafydd King, Harrison Garcia, Kyle Hughes, John Mann, Osian Jones, Ethan Rees, James Courtney
U18 CUP RESULTS
23 November – Semi Final
Ysgol Preseli 21 – 31 Ysgol y Strade
Ysgol Ystalyfera 25 – 19 Christ College, Brecon
16 November – Quarter Final
Plasmawr 0 – 31 Ysgol y Strade
Ysgol Ystalyfera 34 – 14 Bro Dinefwr
11 November – Round 1
Cardiff HS 7 – 17 Ysgol Ystalyfera
9 November
Treorchy 15 – 43 Ysgol y Strade
U18 Cup Final – Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera v Ysgol Y Strade (kick-off 4.30pm)
Ysgol Cymraeg Ystalafera: Cellan Carter-Jones; Ethan Davies, Harris Simmons, Harri Lewis-Rees, Morgan Thomas; Cian John, Ellis Lewis; Callum Kerswell, Sion Lloyd, Alex Green, Cai Smith, Morgan Hines, Cerith Davies (Captain), Zac Bevan, Joseph Lewis
Reps: Matthew Williams, Iwan Presdee-Salathiel, Trystan Murphy, Cai Jones, Morgan Francis, Thomas Collier, Aled Jones, Dewi Williams
Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade: Cai Osian Evans; Elis Penfold, Dafydd Hughes, Wil Thomas (captain), Caio Williams; Harri Watts, Jac Davies; Jac Gaines, Joseff Davies, Owain Armishaw, Sam Saltiel, Rhys Reed, Joseph Gowe, Max Thomas, Will Smith-Hurley
Reps: Toby Johnson, Osian Feltwell, Alex Smith, Deiniol Edwards, Cai Gruffydd Evans, Isaac Saer, Jacob Jones, Harri Morgan
