Rising Star | The next great Welsh back rower?

Strong by name, strong by nature. Morgan Strong used the recent U20 Six Nations Championship to carve his name into the future of Welsh rugby.

Strong is no stranger to the red jumper, having represented Wales at U19 level in 2019 and continues to move from strength to strength. And he could just be another back-rower in the long line of incredible loose forwards in Welsh rugby history. 

The robust, 1.85m, 105kg number 8 left many aches and bruises on opposition bodies in the tournament with barnstorming carries to defensive lines and prolific tackling. However, despite his obvious brawn, Strong displays a definite maturity on the field and understanding of the game which is decidedly rare amongst his young contemporaries.

In his four appearances for the U20s, Strong amassed 94 tackles, with an average of 18.80 per game – the highest of any player in the tournament.

On attack, the back-rower came away from the competition with 61 carries and an average of 12.20 a game.

He further proved himself to be no slouch at the breakdown, his industrious work yielding 6 turnovers – the second-highest in the tournament, bettered only by his promising teammate and captain, Jac Morgan (10).

Despite the players' efforts, Wales U20 managed only two victories from their 5 rounds, their most significant being against England (23-22).

Strong currently plies his trade with Welsh club Ospreys and looks set to be a valuable asset in the years to come, both at club level and nationally.