| Venue: Recreation Ground, Bath Date: Friday, 9 February Kick-off: 19:15 GMT |
| Coverage: Live on BBC iPlayer, updates on BBC Radio Wales. Match report on BBC website. Highlights on Scrum V, Sunday, BBC Two Wales and online, 11 February, and later on demand. |
Wales Under-20s have made five changes to their pack to face England in the age-grade Six Nations on Friday night.
New head coach Richard Whiffin gives a debut to Patrick Nelson and has called up fellow prop Freddie Chapman for the game at Bath’s Recreation Ground.
Leicester Tigers flanker Harry Beddall steps up from the bench with Lucas de la Rua switching to blind-side and Osian Thomas moving to the second row.
Both sides recorded victories on the opening weekend.
Wales scored six tries in a thrilling 37-29 win over Scotland in Colwyn Bay in Whiffin’s first game in charge, while England beat Italy 36-11.
Whiffin said: “The boys that played against Scotland did a great job [but] we saw this as an opportunity to bring some new guys in for England.
“They have an opportunity to match the muscle in set piece and also provide a bit of difference around the field.
“We’ve got big and physical guys playing week in, week out playing regional rugby and we’re ready to take England on and go toe to toe with them.
“But as we saw in the Scotland game we’ve got the skill to play as well.”
He added: “These are the times you live for, 14,500 at the Rec, a great stadium, England v Wales, the boys will get a lot out of the experience, and these are the things we want our younger players to experience.”
Wales have lost their previous three meetings with England since their last win in 2020.
Roses debut for McParland
Northampton Saints scrum-half Archie McParland makes his England U20s debut while Ben Redshaw switches to centre as full-back Ioan Jones and number eight Nathan Michelow are promoted for starts.
Former Wales Under-18s back-row Kane James could also earn his first under-20 cap from the replacement bench. If he does, James could come up against his former Corpus Christi High School, Cardiff team-mate De la Rua.
England forwards coach Nathan Catt said: “Matches against Wales are always special occasions with each side fighting for bragging rights, we expect high intensity from a Welsh team that will feel confident after last week’s result.”
England Under-20s: Ioan Jones (Gloucester Rugby); Toby Cousins (Northampton Saints), Ben Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons), Ollie Spencer (Newcastle Falcons), Alex Wills (Sale Sharks); Rory Taylor (Gloucester), Archie McParland (Northampton Saints); Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Craig Wright (Northampton Saints), Billy Sela (Bath Rugby), Olamide Sodeke (Saracens), Junior Kpoku (Racing 92),Finn Carnduff (capt, Leicester Tigers), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Nathan Michelow (Saracens)
Replacements: Jacob Oliver (Newcastle Falcons), Scott Kirk (Bath Rugby), James Halliwell (Bristol Bears), Joe Bailey (Exeter Chiefs), Kane James (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Douglas (Newcastle Falcons), Josh Bellamy (Harlequins), George Makepeace-Cubitt (Rams RFC).
Wales Under-20s: Huw Anderson (Dragons); Harry Rees-Weldon (Dragons), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Harri Ackerman (Dragons, capt), Walker Price (Dragons); Harri Wilde (Cardiff); Ieuan Davies (Bath); Freddie Chapman (Ospreys); Harry Thomas (Scarlets), Patrick Nelson (RGC), Jonny Green (Harlequins), Osian Thomas (Leicester Tigers), Lucas de la Rua (Cardiff), Harry Beddall (Leicester Tigers), Morgan Morse (Ospreys)
Replacements: Evan Wood (Cardiff Met), Jordan Morris (Dragons), Sam Scott (Midlands Central), Nick Thomas (Dragons), Owen Conquer (Ebbw Vale), Rhodri Lewis (Ospreys), Harri Ford (RGC), Macs Page (Scarlets)
