Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin believes Evan Minto can lead his team to victory over the old enemy on Friday.
The age-grade side host England at Pontypool Park on Friday in a key warm-up ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship.
Minto, who hails from Pontypool and plays for the Dragons, will skipper the team in his hometown as part of a side that features seven players from the Rodney Parade outfit.
The number eight is joined in the starting XV by back row partner Ryan Jones, tighthead Owain James, fly-half Harri Ford, and wing Ioan Duggan – all of whom featured for Pontypool in the 2024/25 Super Rygbi Cymru season.
Whiffin, who is set to finalise his 30-player squad for the World Championship after this match, believes Minto has the attributes to lead effectively in a high-stakes environment.
“He is a very emotional leader but I think, alongside our tactical leaders in the squad, he will get the balance right,” said Whiffin.
“He is a local Pontypool guy plus we wanted to see a slightly different back row.
“From the performances he put in during the Six Nations, he has certainly put his hand up for the captaincy role.”
READ MORE: Evan Minto
Minto, 19, has had a breakthrough season with the Dragons, making his senior debut and earning recognition for his powerful ball-carrying and defensive work.
He takes over the armband from flanker Harry Beddall, who led Wales during the Six Nations and will begin on the bench this time.
Beddall, who joins the Dragons from Leicester this summer, remains a leading contender to captain the side in Italy.
Also among the replacements are Cardiff Met and Pooler hooker Evan Wood, Dragons scrum-half Logan Franklin, and Beddall.
This will be the first of two warm-up fixtures before the squad heads to the U20 World Championship, which begins on June 29 with a match against Argentina in Treviso.
Whiffin has opted to make several changes from the side that stunned England in the final round of the Six Nations, ending their Grand Slam hopes.
READ MORE: Richard Whiffin Sets Development Focus As Wales U20s Begin World Championship Preparations
This match offers players another opportunity to impress and solidify their place for the upcoming tournament.
“We’ve had guys in camp for three weeks working super hard and they deserve an opportunity,” said Whiffin.
“We said to the group at the start of the campaign we were going to use it as a selection game in terms of whittling the squad down from 45 down to 30, so there will be guys playing on Friday night putting their hands up for the plane ticket to Italy.
“So pressure goes onto those guys but ultimately if they can perform on Friday in a big game against England then it sets them up well for the World Cup.”
Kick-off at Pontypool Park is at 3.30pm on Friday. Entry is £5 for adults (card only), with free admission for under-16s.
READ MORE: Wales U20
Wales U20 v England U20, Fri 6 June, Pontypool Park, 3.30pm
15 Lewis Edwards (Ospreys)
14 Ioan Duggan (Dragons)
13 Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby)
12 Elis Price (Scarlets)
11 Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears)
10 Harri Ford (Dragons)
9 Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby);
1 Cam Tyler-Grocott (Cardiff Rugby)
2 Saul Hurley (Aberavon)
3 Owain James (Dragons)
4 Dan Gemine (Ospreys)
5 Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears)
6 Ryan Jones (Dragons)
7 Caio James (Gloucester)8 Evan Minto (Dragons - Capt)
Replacements
16 Evan Wood (Pontypool/Cardiff Met)
17 Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears)
18 Jac Pritchard (Scarlets)
19 Tom Cottle (RGC)
20 Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs)
21 Deian Gwynne (Gloucester)
22 Harry Beddall (Dragons)
23 Logan Franklin (Dragons)
24 Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby)
25 Dylan Scott (Cardiff Met)
26 Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby)
27 Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby)
28 Jack Woods (Bath Rugby)29 Dylan Alford (Scarlets)
WALES U20 FIXTURES
Friday 6 June: Wales v England
Pontypool Park - KO 15.30Tickets available on the gate priced £5 adults with free entry for under 16s.
Friday 13 June: Wales v Italy
Cardiff Arms Park – KO 16.30Tickets available on the gate priced £5 adults with free entry for under 16s.
