Ospreys backrower Sam Morgan has been named as the bolter in the Wales U20s squad for the World Rugby Junior World Championship. The 18-year-old, uncapped at this level, earned his place through outstanding performances for Wales U19s, elevating him ahead of more established players.
Sporting Pedigree
Elite sport runs in Morgan's family. His father, Mathew, was a professional footballer and rugby player. "My father was a professional footballer and then he played rugby after his football days," Morgan told WalesOnline. "He was a centre-half in the Manchester City academy and had offers from Leeds, Arsenal and Chelsea. He also played for Swansea City but injuries held him back."
After football, Mathew played for Swansea RFC before the regions came in, initially on the wing before moving to the backrow. "His career was shorter than it should have been due to a serious knee injury. He's been my biggest inspiration and he's coached me," Morgan added.
Backrow Competition
Morgan is part of a strong pool of backrowers in the Wales U20s squad, including co-captain Deian Gwynne, Caio James, Evan Minto, and Alex Ridgway. Wales will face hosts Georgia, defending champions South Africa, and Uruguay in the pool stage. "I'd say I'm athletic and explosive," Morgan said. "I think that's important for any backrower. It's something I've worked hard on but also something I've got a natural talent for."
He added: "I love getting my hands on the ball but I just hope I can bring a real work ethic and energy to the team. It's nice to see they (coaches) recognise my hard work and it has paid off."
Senior Exposure
Morgan made his Super Rygbi Cymru debut for Swansea RFC at the end of the season and has been training with the senior Ospreys squad. He idolised Justin Tipuric growing up and is eager to learn from the Ospreys defence coach. "I've had some exposure training with the senior Ospreys squad," he said. "I've learnt a lot within the short time I've had with them and I'm really excited for the upcoming seasons to pick up even more information."
He described the environment as "great and very friendly," noting that Ross Moriarty, a fellow Morriston boy, has been a good role model. "They've got great coaches there like Justin Tipuric so I've got some good people to look up to. I definitely looked up to him growing up. I think he was one of the most underrated players of that generation."
Focus on Georgia
Before targeting a first-team appearance with the Ospreys, Morgan's attention is on the Wales U20s challenge in Georgia. A recent talk from Steve Tandy provided added motivation. "Steve Tandy came to speak to us as a collective and we had some really wise words from him," Morgan said. "He told us to have some belief in this group. We are a tight group and why should we write ourselves off from going far in this competition? There's no need to."
Morgan added: "We've taken a lot of learnings from the Six Nations. We've got a talented squad with some good players. There's no reason we should write ourselves off. Wales are a tough and strong nation and we should go far."
