Wales manager Warren Gatland went back some 12 years when he was selected for the Six Nations against Scotland and we are waiting to see if history can repeat itself.

There are strong echoes of what the New Zealand manager did ahead of the 2011 World Cup in the revamped squad he fielded at Murrayfield.

He significantly lowered his squad’s age profile in the run-up to the tournament in New Zealand, with the likes of Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau, Jonathan Davies, Rhys Priestland and Dan Lydiat all drafted, and now the same process has begun.

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He has two 20-year-olds starting this weekend in block Dafydd Jenkins and center Joe Hawkins, while winger Christo Tshiunga turned 21 last month. You also have three 23-year-olds in Rio Dier and the centre-back pairing of Tommy Rebell and Jack Morgan, with uninterrupted replacement Rhys Davies at 24.

In total, seven of the 23 players have seven or fewer caps, which is a bit different from recent times when Wales have broken cap records on several occasions. There are also three other unofficial rookies in the camp in Keiran Williams, Mason Grady and Teddy Williams, with Cardiff center Grady, 20, who Gatland says is “home training” and the recovered Louis Rees-Zammit is still just 22.

So there’s a group of youngsters that the coach is very excited about and wants to give them the opportunity to show what they’re capable of on a big stage. That brings us back to what he did in 2011. In fact, you saw the first signs of that at last year’s Six Nations at Murrayfield.

Center Jonathan Davies and winger Lydiat were making only their second Championship starts, Warburton only their third, while Priestland made his Test debut as a substitute in what would become the World Cup’s first half just seven months later. defeating the experienced duo of Stephen Jones and James Hook.

Faletau would fall even later, winning his first match in June, and by September he had become the starting number 8, ahead of New Zealand’s Ryan Jones. They also brought the likes of Lloyd Williams and Scott Williams, while George North was just 19 on the eve of the World Cup when Wales qualified for the semi-finals.

Another little quirk of fate. Captaining Wales against Scotland in February 2011 was a very experienced Scarlets whore in the role of Matthew Rees. Fast forward 12 years and we have another helm in Ken Owens. Wales won 24-6 that day, with a host of youngsters playing their part. So can the omens be positive both in Edinburgh and later in the 2023 World Cup?

With that in mind, here’s a look at the new faces at the forefront of a new era.

jenkins

It says a lot about how highly Exeter rates Jenkins that he was named captain in a Gallagher Premier League game aged just 19 earlier this season.

Now 20, his maturity and huge athletic potential has been rewarded with a debut for Wales as he prepares to end a scrum and climb the ranks against Scotland.

After meeting the young quarterback, Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter said: “Dafydd works really hard. He is very diligent, very professional, he really wants to succeed and win. He is a good character to be a leader and captain. I had no hesitation in naming him captain.

“People talk about players’ superpowers. Dafydd’s superpower is that he can handle anything. You can move on to the next one very quickly. That’s what I really like when I see it.”

Jenkins’ father Huell has played in the back row for Llanelli, Swansea and Neath. It will be a proud day for him and the whole family when they see young Dafydd take to the field in Edinburgh.

tommy raphael

As befits a Leicester man, the full-back brings a tigerish approach to the game with his work on the ball and tireless effort. His grit and determination were evident from the moment he started playing the sport.

Bridgend manager Ed Griffith played with Rebell’s father Gary at Pencoed RFC and saw young Tommy rise at the club.

“At a young age, you could see that he had his father’s drive and heart. I remember when his father coached Pencoeda, Tommy was the kid on the main team who slipped in the mud and always played on the field with the locals, even when it rained a lot”, he says.

“They arrived at the club completely reeking and wet to the core. He always had a steely mentality and love for the game. Everyone at Pencoed knew early on that he was a special boy. He also has a rugby brain and a rare understanding. He does it week in and week out in a tough league, playing against the best in the world and dominating it.”

Christ of Tsiunza

The Exeter wing has the ability of a God with his size and natural athletic ability, but he also put the graft in, as described by his former rugby coach at Whitchurch High School in Cardiff, Steve Williams.

“He worked really hard during Covid. I had a bunch of weights at home and I walked and walked. He developed his body really well,” said Williams.

“He’s a great guy. He’s got bigger hands than most people! He doesn’t suddenly show up with them. It’s been a while, and it’s up to him. He’s always had an extraordinary work ethic to improve on.”

You can read the full interview with Steve Williams here.

joe hawkins

For the 20-year-old Ospreys centre, rugby is in his blood. His father David played center for Aberavon, Carmarthen Quins and Tonmawr, while his uncle Dan was scrum-half for Swansea, Neath and Bonymaen.

“Both sides of the family have always been great rugby players, so it was inevitable that I too would go down that path. I think it was a little simple,” she says.

Hailing from Istalifera, Hawkins has played most of his junior rugby in midfield and that distribution experience and ability to possess the ball serves him well in midfield where he can play as a playmaker while working hard and hitting good lines.

“The way the game is right now, you have to have everything. You can’t just be a one-trick pony,” he says.

“Getting the basics right and getting your team up and running is probably the main job, but it’s nice to have those extras when you’re doing this so you can open up a bit with the skills.”

jack morgan

The 23-year-old from Brynnamman is showing he’s young in many ways. When he does line up in 8th place against Scotland this weekend, he will start in all three back row positions for Wales.

He was also showing different strings to his bow in terms of his rugby strengths. He won more passes than any other URC player last season. It was his rise this season that really caught the Ospreys’ attention, particularly during a monumental performance in last year’s Champions Cup win against Leicester, while his tackle figures were also very impressive.

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dyer river

The Dragons winger has a trait that simply cannot be bought, and that is raw speed. He is also very elusive and is looking for more and more work this season, as evidenced by the number of appearances he played against Ireland last week.

Regional coach Dai Flanagan comments: “It’s great to see the guys coming out of their shells, expressing themselves and supporting each other. No one exemplifies this better than Rio with the amount of touches he puts into the game.

“He can catch high balls and shoot well, which are essentially the two most important things in international rugby for a winger. The icing on the cake is what you can do when given the chance to score tries.”

Dyer showed this on his Test debut against New Zealand in November, when he surged across the finish line while playing 12 times in 41 caps for his region.

rhys davies

The Penclodd lad is set to win his first cap against Scotland, having been named as a second-tier halfback on the bench for Murrayfield’s assignment.

It is a fitting reward for the steady progress he has made since joining his native Bath Ospreys in 2020. He brings volume and physicality and has the drive and mobility to rally on the blind flank, as he has recently done in Europe, offering a real tackle and impact on 6.

graduated mason

At 6’10” and 170 pounds, he’s fast enough to play on the sideline and has the dribbling skills of a junior basketball player. The Cardiff defender has a lot going for him, as confirmed by his defenders coach at Arms Park, Matt Sherratt: “He has a structure that you cannot easily ignore. His greatest strength is his sleight of hand. It might take two or three people to stop him. He can push people away and he has rhythm too.

“He has a physique you can’t train and he can go far. He is a phenomenal athlete. He’s fast, big, has a decent skill set and some of his work off the ball is exceptional. He can be as good as he wants.”

keiran williams

Gatland says he is thrilled for the young centre-back and it’s great to see Williams given the chance to impress in the Welsh side. He put his injury issues behind him and has been a true force of nature for the Ospreys with his powerful build and shaky defense.

His regional coach, Toby Booth, sums it up by saying, “He gives you a lot up front and he plays hard. Against tough opponents you need strong players and he is definitely one of them. He was fit and played very well.”

teddy williams

A true Six Nations player who was called up just days after making his Cardiff debut against Newcastle.

Giving an update on Locke, 22, Arms Park rugby director Dai Young says: “He’s worked really hard over the last 12 months and is really maturing.

“We always knew that he had good qualities and that he is a very good rugby player. We needed him to develop a little more physique.

“When you play against the South Africans and the islanders they are really big and the first thing you have to do is win the game. The work that Teddy has done over the past six months to improve his fitness has been outstanding.”

Louis Rees-Zammit

No longer a new face, but he is still just 22 and a huge part of Wales’ future. It will be a huge bonus to have the Gloucester full-back two weeks on from his ankle injury.

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