With the Welsh rugby team in South Africa challenging the Springboks this week, the future stars of world rugby meet in Wales for the IRB Junior World Championships.
S4C and the BBC will share terrestrial rights to live and exclusive coverage of the games. The first game to be shown on S4C will be the battle between New Zealand and Ireland on Tuesday night, 10 June.
The other games shown on S4C will be the pool match between Wales and France (14 June), one semi-final (18 June), the third-place play-off and the championship final. The latter two games will be broadcast live on S4C on 22 June from the Liberty Stadium, Swansea.
Gareth Roberts will be at the helm with Sarra Elgan reporting pitch-side. Lyn Davies and Derwyn Jones will lead the commentary team with prominent young rugby players also commenting on the play.
Derwyn Jones says, “Over the past year, S4C has led the way with its rugby coverage. By focusing on the Principality Premiership in particular, the Channel has shown young players demonstrating their talents from week to week.
“Now, with the Junior World Championships on television too, everyone will have a chance to see the high standards set by talented young players from all over the world.”
Derwyn expects to see physical rugby being played during the competition as the young players strive to make an impression on the senior international coaches.
“I’m expecting to see Ospreys, Gareth Owen and Ryan Bevington and the Scarlets forward Josh Turnbull playing a prominent role in this Welsh squad,” says Derwyn.
But who will be crowned champions at the end of the month?
“The old favourites are New Zealand because they tend to develop players at a young age,” says Derwyn. “But you can’t rule out the likes of France, South Africa and Australia either,” he adds.
© 2008 S4C
O Gymru / Made in Wales