Posted by Cymru D20 enjoyed a notable 2026 season to bring a bit of light to the doom and gloom that continually surrounds Welsh rugby these days.
Pushing England U20 and France U20 all the way before a statement win against Scotland U20 in the U20 Six Nations before a best points haul in the Junior World Championship pool stages for 13 years was achieved on the way to a sixth place finish thanks to a dramatic win over Australia U20.
There was a lot to like as a unit where the set piece was solid, defence was hard-nosed and niggly, and the attack in particular showed a lot of real quality. Individually players like Tom Howe, Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, Steff Emanuel, Tom Bowen and Lewis Edwards marked themselves out as talents who could break through sooner rather than later.
Perhaps most encouraging though was the performance of the lads tasked with forming the Cymru D20 engine room in 2026.
For a long time Welsh rugby has suffered with a lack of depth at second row. Even at the height of the most recent golden generation there wasn’t a huge number of options beyond the top four or five, although those cracks were largely papered over by the longevity and resilience of the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Luke Charteris, Jake Ball and Adam Beard.
With the majority of those now having called time on their careers though there has been a gaping hole in the heart of Welsh packs with few putting their hands up on a regular basis to pull on either the four or five jerseys, either due to a lack of form, a poor injury record, or a mix of both of those things.
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Will Evans is the big physical presence in the group, standing up at 6’6″ and pushing towards 120kg on the scales. He’s an abrasive figure who loves to carry and hits hard in defence, something that is sought after across the sport, but particularly here in Wales. There’s no doubt he is the standout in this lock group because of that.
He’s got good soft skills around that too though, which if utilised correctly will cause defences a lot of problems. The weakness is the injury record which has restricted the Scarlets man to just the four caps won during the Junior World Championship, and is no doubt a concern when it comes to managing someone of that size.
However, if the West Wales side – who picked Evans up from the collapsed London Irish set up and put him through Llandovery College – can keep him fit and healthy then there’s no reason not to believe the 20-year-old will get first team minutes in the United Rugby Championship and/or European Challenge Cup this season.
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To complement Evans, Osian Williams played a major role in balancing out the Cymru D20 pack as a seriously mobile and athletic second row option, a smidge taller at 6’8″ but lighter at closer to 110kg that allows him to get around the field with ease.
His athleticism mean he’s a threat in the wider channels of the attack and is good over the ball in defence, but there’s plenty of technical skill there too which lead to the Bristol Bears youngster being an excellent lineout jumper and a good maul operator.
The only one of the 2026 lock corps who is still eligible for Cymru D20 next year, it will be interesting to see how the West Country side manage the development of the former Dragons age grade player. Bulking up will be important, but equally crucial will be retaining his point of difference as a big man with a high level of mobility.
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In Tom Cottle there is probably the most well-rounded lock option of the four. A physical presence in the tight exchanges, an athlete in the loose parts of the game, and a good set piece operator who is confident calling the lineout, he can make an impact in multiple facets.
Hopefully without some of the extra-curricular activities, there’s a touch of the Cory Hills in the way he goes about his work and gets around the field. It’s also easy to spot some natural leadership abilities in the way he handles himself too.
Coming through at Cardiff having made the move down from RGC last summer he will likely start the new season with the Rags again in SRC, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some first team action come his way if he impresses at the development level, especially if injuries strike the engine room at the Arms Park.
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The final member of the quartet is Luke Evans who perhaps didn’t quite get the chance to show off his full skill set over the summer in Georgia after namesake Will returned to fitness, but still clearly has a high ceiling to his play as he comes through at Exeter Chiefs.
Originally in the Cardiff pathway but tempted away with education at Exeter College and then on to Exeter University, he’s another large man and uses his size well at maul time but has the game awareness and soft skills to get involved with more than just the tight exchanges.
Will hopefully get some chances at senior rugby in the Prem Cup alongside remaining in BUCS Super Rugby action as he looks to take the first steps towards a successful professional career, although it would be great to see him back in Blue & Black sooner rather than later!
All in all some of the best second row prospects we’ve had through the Cymru D20 set up in a good few years, but now the onus is on them to make sure they’re in a position whereby there is a clear path towards senior professional rugby, and then to take the opportunities when they are presented.
The tight five remains the toughest positions of all to get right in terms of development, but the most important when it comes to the future success of the national team. Welsh rugby needs to make sure this is done properly.
Cardiff Rugby Life 
