ROWLAND PHILLIPS TO COACH WALES UNDER 18

Neath coach Rowland Phillips has been appointed head coach of the Wales
Under 18 side for their forthcoming international series.
The 10 times capped former Wales Triple Crown back rower met up with his
players for the first time at a squad training session at Trefforest last
night (tonight, WEDNESDAY), where he was joined by assistant coaches Gruff
Rees and Gethin Watts as well as team manager Terry Cobner.
"It is an honour to coach a Welsh national team and having played
international rugby at this level, I know what it is all about," said
Phillips, who was in the Grand Slam Welsh Schools side of 1983 captained by
Alun Carter and featuring other future internationals in Robert Jones and
Glyn Llewellyn.

"It's a very exciting and all-important period in a player's development - a
vital bridge between junior and senior rugby."
Significant changes have been made to the structure of the competitive year
for players in the Wales Under 18 age group this season with the WRU Reebok
Regional Under 18 Championship being held in the first part of the campaign
to provide a platform for identification and selection of a national squad
that will now meet twice a week for the next six weeks.
Phillips' side will have two friendly internationals against Italy and
France before they take part in the Four Nations Tournament in the
Gloucester area in April.

"We have worked extremely hard to create a progressive seasonal structure
for our young international players. The WRU Reebok Regional Championship
provides us with the perfect vehicle for identification and selection," said
WRU High Performance Manager Mostyn Richards.
"The long training and development period will be the envy of many national
squads in Wales and beyond."
It means that for the first time at this age group the players will have the
chance to build together as a team and have the best possible chance of
playing to their full potential by the time they reach the competitive end
of the season.
Phillips will get the perfect opportunity to see a number of his squad
members in action on Friday night when the previously postponed WRU Reebok
Regional final, between the Scarlets and Ospreys, takes place at Aberavon's Talbot Athletic Ground (kick-off 7.00pm).

"The final will be a great showcase for the talent within the squad. I have
been hugely impressed with the standard of play already," said Phillips.
Among the 33 strong squad are two sons of international players - Luke Ford,
son of ex-Cardiff and Wales wing Steve Ford, and Holotti Molitika, son of
current Cardiff Blues and Tongan flanker Ma'ama Molitika.

"I am looking forward to getting to know the players in more depth through
the twice weekly training sessions over the next six weeks. It is a
fantastic opportunity for coaches and players - an elite structure for an
elite set of players."
Six players who are eligible for the Under 18 age group have been
fast-tracked into the Wales Under 19 squad, but Richards is convinced there
is a wealth of talent for Phillips to work with this season.

"We are thrilled that a vibrant young coach like Rowland is on board and
heading up our Under 18 coaching squad. He has proved his coaching pedigree
with Neath and it is great that yet another individual, only recently
retired from playing at the highest level, is putting something straight
back into the elite game," said Richards.

WALES UNDER 18 SQUAD
Backs: Nick Hopson (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny (Ospreys), Ceri Llewellyn
(Blues), James Egan (Blues), Gruff Jones (Scarlets), Matthew Lemon
(Scarlets), Rhys Williams (Scarlets), Luke Ford (Blues), Jason Tovey
(Dragons), Phil Williams (Blues), Geraint O'Driscoll (Dragons / Exiles),
David Langdon (Dragons), James Thomas (Blues), Rhys Dyer (Blues), Rhys Webb
(Ospreys), Gareth Williams (Blues)
Forwards: Jon Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Jack Shaw (Ospreys),
Nick Cudd (Scarlets), Jevon Groves (Blues), Holotti Molitika (Ospreys), Kyle
Maiden (Ospreys), Haydn Pugh (Scarlets), Josh Williams (Dragons), Adam Ball
(Scarlets), James Richards (Ospreys), Patrick Palmer (Blues), Scott Andrews
(Blues), Huw Dowden (Blues), Ben Roberts (Dragons), Ryan Bevington
(Ospreys), Tom Price (Blues).

Wales Under 18 Fixtures
Sunday February 26 Wales Regions v French Regions venue tbc
Sunday March 5 Wales Regions v English Regions venue tbc
Sunday March 12 Italy v Wales Coleferro, Italy, Kick-off 3pm
Friday March 31 Wales v France, Pontypridd, kick-off 7pm
Saturday April 15 - Home Four Nations - Wales v Scotland, Cheltenham, 3.35pm
Tuesday April 18 - Home Four Nations - Wales v Ireland, Lydney, 4pm
Friday April 21 - Home Four Nations - England v Wales, Gloucester, 3.35pm