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World Rugby U20 Championship

Getting to know: Wales U20s blindside Ryan Woodman

By Liam Heagney

330 days ago

Wales' Ryan Woodman at the 2023 tournament in Stellenbosch (Photo by World Rugby via Getty Images)

Ryan Woodman had just finished signing the waiver to climb the DHL Stadium rooftop for a photoshoot when he took on the RugbyPass Q&A challenge ahead of this Saturday’s start to the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship.

The back-rower has timed him run to rude health perfectly to ensure he is fit and ready to lead Wales out when they take on New Zealand at Athlone on match day one.

A thumb injury sustained versus the Sharks in the EPCR Challenge Cup last January meant that the blindside flanker sat out the entire age-grade Six Nations.

However, he returned to first-team action with the Dragons in their Judgement Day clash with Scarlets on June 1 and has now been handed the U20s captaincy for his country’s World Cup campaign which also includes pool matches against Spain and defending champions France.

Missing the Six Nations won’t hamper Woodman in the slightest; he is very well experienced at this level of international rugby as this is his third season involved at U20s and he was also the captain last year.

Fixture

World Rugby U20 Championship

Wales U20

34 - 41

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New Zealand U20

All Stats and Data

Read on to find out why maths, golf and running around the field with the top off all get a mention in his Getting to Know series answers:

THE BASICS
Born: February 2, 2004;
Age-grade debut: vs Scotland, Six Nations 2022;
Club: Dragons;
Position: Back row;
Height: 6ft 5;
Weight: 107kg;
Boots: RS15 Adidas;
Gumshield: Smart mouthguard;
Headgear: No;
School: Caldicot.

RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)
Pace: 79;
Passing: 80;
Tackling: 85.

THE PAST
My favourite own country player of all time is… Sam Warburton;

Favourite try I have ever scored is… Munster away;

A rugby memory that makes me smile is… Beating Italy in my first year 20s;

The moment I realised I could make it is… I haven’t made it yet, have I. Probably this season to be honest;

One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is… Go to the gym;

My best subject in school was… Probably maths;

The first player who made me fall in love with rugby is… Taulupe Faletau;

Growing up, my position was… Always back row;

The coach who has most impacted my game is… Sam Hobbs.

The last time Wales and New Zealand faced off in the #WorldRugbyU20s was a banger ?
Tune into their first match on June 29 live and for free on RugbyPass TV ? pic.twitter.com/VYC4SowaDV
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 24, 2024

THE PRESENT
My best attributes on the field are… Work rate;

One thing I’m doing to improve my education is… Not much;

My favourite current Wales player is… Trying to think who the current players are. Aaron Wainwright;

My favourite YouTuber is… Good Good Golf;

My hardest working teammate is… Morgan Morse;

My most skilful teammate is… Harri Ford;

My favourite training drill is… Two vs ones under the post and then the loser has to run around the field with their top off;

My favourite music artist is… Right now? It’s tough this one. Zach Bowman.

??????? ????? ??? | Congratulations to our super 7?? Dragons ? selected by @WelshRugbyUnion for the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa, led by captain Ryan Woodman! ??
Good luck & go well boys! ?#WeAreGwentRugby #NextGen pic.twitter.com/01zucks30I
— Dragons RFC (@dragonsrugby) June 13, 2024

THE FUTURE
A player who could go all the way is… In my team? Morsey, Morgan Morse;

If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with… I don’t know actually. Antoine Dupont, probably;

I will be happy with my career if I… I’m not sure to be honest. I’d be happy if I played for the Lions;

One thing I want to add to my game is… Carrying dominance;

If I could play in any other country, I would play in… Probably one of the southern hemisphere countries. They’re different to the northern hemisphere. Any one of them;

One person I want to meet is… Bloody hell. Patrick Mahomes;

One trophy I would love to win is… This trophy (World Rugby U20 Championship).

Click here to sign up to RugbyPass TV for free live World Rugby U20s Championship matches from Saturday, June 29

ABOVE AND BELOW: The captains from the 12 World Rugby U20 Championship teams stand on the roof at the DHL Stadium with Table Mountain in the background while their shadows are also pictured from underneath. #WorldRugbyU20s #rugby pic.twitter.com/0Te7KDhczC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 26, 2024

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Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 10 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 10 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 10 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 10 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 10 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 10 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 11 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 11 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍