Wales U20s co-captain Steffan Emanuel says that he is looking forward to taking the “big jump” into senior rugby after one last match for Wales at the Junior World Championship.

The 20-year-old centre will play his final Wales U20s match as his side take on Scotland in the fifth place play-off in Tbilisi on Friday afternoon.

Wales beat Scotland 31-21 in the U20s Six Nations earlier this year, with Emanuel and the rest of the Welsh squad looking to secure the U20s best finish since making the final in 2013.

Emanuel has been a key part of the Wales team, alongside fellow captain Deian Gwynne, flyhalf Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, and Cardiff teammate Tom Bowen.

All have experienced senior rugby in the past season, with Emanuel keen to take the next step in the United Rugby Championship (URC) next season.

“It’s a big year to come out of the under-20s into the next block, that first year is almost career-defining,” said Emanuel.

“It’s a big jump, but something that I am looking forward to and hopefully I can kick on.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play some games for Cardiff and now I’ll look to get a few more minutes under my belt.”

The Cardiff connection runs deep in the Wales U20s step up, with Emanuel forming an excellent midfield with Osian Darwin-Lewis, feeding try-scoring opportunities to Bowen and Rhys Cummings on the wings.

“As an inside centre I was fortunate to have Ben Thomas and Rory Jennings to learn from and then Callum Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd inside, plus players like Harry Millard outside,” added Emanuel.

“I am surrounded by all these top players and you try to learn as much as you possibly can from them.”

As far as mentors go, Cardiff legend Rey Lee-Lo is not a bad one for the young centre to learn from.

“To have someone like Rey still around the building is fantastic and I have loved picking his brains, which he probably hates me for!” he smiled.

“He is someone that I can talk to quite easily if I have any questions or doubts; he is such a top bloke and is massive for the development of us young boys.”

Wales have made two changes from their victory over Australia in the play-off semi-final with Cardiff’s Tom Cottle coming in at blind-side – a change that sees the influential Gwynne switch to number eight – while Bristol’s George Leyland starts at loose-head prop.

Lock Luke Evans, who was sent off for a 20-minute red card high tackle against Australia, has not been included.

Wales U20s

Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Rhys Cummings (Cardiff), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff, co-capt), Tom Bowen (Cardiff); Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets), Sion Davies (Cardiff); George Leyland (Bristol), Tom Howe (Cardiff), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Will Evans (Scarlets), Osian Williams (Bristol), Tom Cottle (Cardiff), Caio James (Gloucester), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester, co-capt).

Replacements

Oscar Thomas (Bath), Hudson Nevin (Scarlets), Yestyn Cook (Scarlets), Alex Ridgway (Bath), Sam Morgan (Ospreys), Cai Gealy (Bristol), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff), Bailey Cutts (Bath).

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