Swansea youngsters cutting looose in Indigo Prem

Both players played for Wales U20 last season where their attacking intent was often utilised by head coach Byron Hayward.

Hopkins uses his side-step to great affect from full-back and has beaten 15 defenders already after five rounds of action in the Indigo Prem. Houston is right behind him having beaten 14 defenders.

The only other player to be in double figures is Aberavon’s Andrew Waite with 13 defenders beaten while ex-Fiji international Nikola Matawalu has eight next to his name on the wing for Pontypridd.

Clear line-breaks are proving hard to come by as defences are proving a tough nut to crack but Matawalu is beginning to get to grips with the Premiership and is among those with three line-breaks so far this season. Merthyr’s Rhys Davies along with Morgan Morse (Swansea), Rhodri Cole (Aberavon) and Gareth Rees (Swansea) are all on three line-breaks.

Elsewhere the usual suspects are already beginning to make inroads in the carrying department. Aberavon’s Ashton Evans could be the first player to crash through the half century of carries. After five rounds, he has carried 49 times into the heart of the opposition – 10 times more than his nearest challenger, Cardiff’s Morgan Allen.