Turnbull to skipper Wales U19

Turnbull was handed the captaincy despite playing only fifty minutes of rugby this year for his hometown club Newcastle Emlyn. He underwent an operation for acute appendicitis in December and has spent the past two months battling his way back to full fitness. Now the Scarlets youngster is back and raring to go as captain of the national U19 side as they launch their international season at his club ground.

“It’s a real privilege to lead the players out and to do it at Stradey Park in front of a home crowd will be even more special,” he said. “I haven’t played much rugby since before Christmas but training has gone to plan and I am raring to go against Ireland.

“I played in last season’s victory over Ireland in Dublin and we were all pleased with our performances in that game. I was injured for the match against the Irish in Dubai, which the boys unfortunately lost, so I can’t wait to play them again.

“The boys have all gelled really well since coming together for the first time in October. It has been a long time in coming but we got into serious match preparation last week and we are all gunning to get out there.”

The Welsh youngsters are preparing for the IRB U19 World Championships in Belfast in April. Following the clash with Ireland they will travel to Sorgues, Avignon in Southern France for a Test against their French counterparts before hosting England at Aberavon on March 2nd.

Coach Justin Burnell said, “It was a tough call between Josh and Sam Warburton for the captaincy but Josh has a great deal of experience at this level having played U19 international rugby with us all last season.

“He is a player in the mould of Bradley Davies, last season’s U19 skipper, who did a wonderful job leading the side to the Grand Slam. He has really got stuck into training since undergoing surgery in December and is obviously looking forward to leading a very workmanlike committed side.”

Wales U19: Daniel Evans (Llanelli, Scarlets); James Egan (Cardiff, Blues), Luke Ford (Glamorgan Wanderers, Blues), Rhys Williams (Llanelli, Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Neath, Ospreys); David Langdon (Ebbw Vale, Dragons), Gareth Williams (Glamorgan Wanderers, Blues); Ryan Bevington (Bridgend, Ospreys), Ben Roberts (Ebbw Vale, Dragons), Patrick Palmer (Llantrisant, Blues), Haydn Pugh (Llangennech, Scarlets), Josh Turnbull (captain; Llanelli, Scarlets), Jevon Groves (Cardiff, Blues), Lloyd Phillips (Narberth, Scarlets), Sam Warburton (Glamorgan Wanderers)

Replacements: Rhys Webb (Bridgend, Ospreys), Gareth Owen (Maesteg, Ospreys), Huw Dowden (Beddau, Blues), Lloyd Elliott (Tondu, Ospreys), Philip Price (Bridgend Athletic, Ospreys), Nathan White (Maesteg Quins, Ospreys), Nicholas Cudd (Tumble, Scarlets)