Six Dragons Selected by Wales Under-20s

Key Points

• Head coach Richard Whiffin names a 40-strong Wales Under-20 squad for the 2026 Six Nations, including six players from Dragons RFC: George Tuckley, James Talamai, Cerrig Smith, Evan Minto, Carter Pritchard, and Rhys Cole.
• Gloucester back row Deian Gwynne and Cardiff Rugby centre Steffan Emanuel appointed as co-captains to lead 23 forwards and 17 backs.
• Eleven players return from last season, blending experience with fresh talent.
• Squad strengths highlighted in back row, back three, midfield, halfbacks, and a dynamic tight five.
• Campaign opens against England at Franklin’s Gardens on 6 February 2026; full fixtures include matches against France, Scotland, Ireland, and Italy.
• Whiffin praises co-captains’ complementary leadership styles and anticipates a robust challenge starting with “the old enemy” England.

Newport (Cardiff Daily ) 22 January 2026 – Head coach Richard Whiffin has unveiled a 40-strong Wales Under-20 squad for the 2026 Six Nations, calling up six players from Dragons RFC in a selection that balances experience and youthful energy. The squad features Gloucester back row Deian Gwynne and Cardiff Rugby centre Steffan Emanuel as co-captains, leading a group of 23 forwards and 17 backs ahead of the opener against England. As reported directly from the official announcement on Dragons RFC’s website, George Tuckley, James Talamai, Cerrig Smith, Evan Minto, Carter Pritchard, and Rhys Cole represent the Newport-based region in this prestigious under-20 championship.

Who Are the Six Dragons in the Wales U20 Squad?

The six Dragons players selected bring depth across key positions. Loosehead prop George Tuckley anchors the front row, while hooker James Talamai provides reliability in the engine room. Lock Cerrig Smith and back row Evan Minto add physicality to the forward pack, with scrum-half Carter Pritchard offering dynamism at halfback and wing Rhys Cole speed on the flanks.

As detailed in the Dragons RFC official news release dated 22 January 2026, these selections underscore the region’s pathway development. Tuckley (loosehead prop), Talamai (hooker), Smith (back row), Minto (back row), Pritchard (scrum-half), and Cole (wing) all earn their call-ups through consistent performances in domestic and age-grade rugby.

Why Were Deian Gwynne and Steffan Emanuel Chosen as Co-Captains?

Co-captains Deian Gwynne from Gloucester and Steffan Emanuel from Cardiff Rugby will guide the squad. Whiffin emphasised their complementary skills in leadership. “We felt last year there was a lot of emphasis and leadership through Harry Beddall – sometimes with a back rower like Deian Gwynne as well – you have got your head in a lot of breakdowns,” explained Whiffin, as quoted in the Dragons RFC announcement.

He continued: “We feel Steffan Emanuel who was a vice captain last year, has grown in his leadership and I feel he will help Deian tactically with having a broader view of the game while Deian can prosper from an emotional point of view – follow me sort of attitude.” Whiffin added: “They have come through the age group together and get on well and I think they will be able to dovetail off each other and split the role. It’s more about splitting the role during the week – on game day it kind of takes care of itself but we feel those two will be able to work well and make sure we get all of our messages across to the team.”

This partnership aims to harness Gwynne’s breakdown intensity and Emanuel’s tactical oversight, vital for the campaign’s demands.

What Does the Full Wales U20 Six Nations Squad Look Like?

The 40-player squad comprises forwards and backs with regional representation. Full positional breakdown from the official release:

Loosehead props: George Tuckley (Dragons RFC), George Leyland (Bristol Bears), Dylan James (Ospreys), Hudson Nevin (Scarlets).

Hookers: Tom Howe (Cardiff Rugby), James Talamai (Dragons RFC), Oscar Thomas (Bath Rugby).

Tighthead props: Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Isaac Godfrey (Exeter Chiefs), Yestyn Cook (Scarlets).

Locks: Tom Cottle (Cardiff Rugby), Oscar Rees (Gloucester Rugby), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Osian B Williams (Bristol Bears), Gabe Williams (Cardiff Rugby).

Back row: Deian Gwynne (Gloucester – Co-Capt), Osian Williams (Scarlets), Cerrig Smith (Dragons RFC), Caio James (Gloucester Rugby), Evan Minto (Dragons RFC), Joe Denman (Scarlets), Dom Kossuth (Scarlets), Alex Ridgway (Bath Rugby).

Scrum halves: Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby), Carter Pritchard (Dragons RFC), Luca Woddyatt (Gloucester).

Fly halves: Carwyn Leggat-Jones (Scarlets), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), Steff Jac Jones (Scarlets).

Centres: Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby – Co-Capt), Luc Anfield (Bath University), Jack Hoskins (Ospreys), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Bailey Cutts (Cardiff Rugby).

Wingers: Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby), Dylan Scott (Cardiff Met), Evan Morris (Bristol Bears), Rhys Cole (Dragons RFC).

Full-backs: Jack Woods (Bath Rugby), Rhys Cummings (Cardiff Rugby).

Eleven players return from last season, providing continuity.

How Does Coach Whiffin Assess the Squad’s Strengths?

Whiffin lauded the balance: “We want to get to the point where we’ve got as many second years as possible just for that growth value, but it’s a squad that has a good balance of first timers who bring lots of energy into it and second timers who have got the experience.” He noted: “It’s a strong squad where we are happy with what we have selected – it was a very tough and robust process to go through but we think we have a squad who can attack the championship.”

Specific positional praises include: “There is extreme strength in our back row and back three – I think we have got a lot of experience in our midfield and we possess some really exciting halfbacks.” On the forwards: “Tight five wise we’ve got a group who are dynamic and they give us probably something different around our ball carrying that maybe we haven’t had in our tight five for a couple of years.”

What Are the Challenges of the Opening Fixture Against England?

Wales face England first on Friday 6 February at 19:45 at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton. “What a way to start the tournament with the old enemy,” said Whiffin.

“Going up to Franklin’s Gardens, probably the best surfaces in the English Premiership, there will be a good partisan crowd up there so it will be a great experience for the boys – something we can get our heads around, get excited for and we will walk towards the challenge head on.”

England were denied a grand slam last season after Wales’ victory at Cardiff Arms Park, setting a rivalry tone.

When and Where Are the Full 2026 U20 Six Nations Fixtures for Wales?

The complete schedule:

• Fri 6 Feb, 19:45 – England v Wales, cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton.
• Sat 14 Feb, 20:00 – Wales v France, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff.
• Fri 20 Feb, 19:15 – Wales v Scotland, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff.
• Sat 7 Mar, 19:45 – Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, Cork.
• Sun 15 Mar, 13:00 – Wales v Italy, Rodney Parade, Newport.

Tickets available for home games via eticketing.co.uk/principalitystadium.

Why Is This Selection Significant for Dragons RFC and Welsh Rugby?

Six Dragons call-ups highlight the region’s youth pipeline, with players spanning front row to backline. This follows Wales’ competitive 2025 campaign, where returnees like Gwynne and Emanuel shone. Whiffin’s selections reflect a deliberate blend, positioning Wales to challenge in a tough tournament featuring England, France, Scotland, Ireland, and Italy.