Many people won’t be quick to look back on the past year in their scrapbooks because of the bad year for the national team, more uncertainty and promising regional rivalry, and general dismay at the slow decline of the sport in this country.
However, chaos also presents an opportunity. For the vast majority youthful players, the following year carries with it the expectation that potential chances to sparkle will show up.
Here’s only a portion of the youthful stars who could get through in 2023…
Grady is likely to play a significant role for the Arms Park team in the new year, as Dai Young currently lacks options in the midfield. Given how challenging it is to stop him, opposition defenses are concerned about that.
He also has a lot of pace and good handling, as demonstrated by a recent intercept try against Newcastle in Europe. Although getting him on the park has been a challenge, his potential has never been in doubt. In this way, Grady’s year could be 2023.
Harri O’Connor, Scarlets tight-head prop, was puzzled by the club’s decision to sign Sam Wainwright, a recent Wales cap, from Saracens this season when they already had the other uncapped tight-head who was called up to South Africa last summer. In truth, Wainwright made Pivac’s harvest time crew and.
While Deaves can be seen on the pitch without the scrum cap’s bright neon yellow color, it helps.
He is into almost everything and has a rugby intelligence in addition to his work ethic. He has Justin Tipuric and Jac Morgan to rely on as a mentor, so he can grow in the future.
Ryan Woodman (back row, Dragons) Byron Hayward, the coach of the Wales U20s, has already staked his entire career on the Dragons back row/second row hybrid who will represent Wales at the World Cup in 2027. Thankfully, no one is holding him to that particular claim, but the fact that he would say that is a testament to Woodman’s abilities.
He is close to making the Dragons’ starting lineup after being placed on the bench to play Pau last week. He might soon have many more people willing to endorse his abilities than just Hayward.
Dwayne Peel, a Grand Slam-winning scrum-half, is well-versed in the ins and outs of being a nine.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that he is said to have a high opinion of the young Scarlets halfback Hughes.
Hughes is speedy, can kick, has a fair help and looks pretty risky around the edges. Hughes will be hoping that the year 2023 is the year that he forces his way into the reckoning despite the Scarlets’ abundance of international scrum-halves.
Efan Daniel (hooker, Cardiff) The student at Treorchy Comprehensive School ended up making his Cardiff debut in the victory over Leinster at the beginning of 2022. He will be hoping to break into the Arms Park team after putting in a strong performance for the Wales U20s.
Daniel will continue to shine for the Rags in the interim, despite the fact that he has scored five tries in the Indigo Premiership thus far this season and has shown the kind of form that could make him an outside bet for a spot in the Six Nations squad. That could be tricky, however, given Liam Belcher’s performance.