And - with Wales third in the table but only short of top spot on point’s difference - Davies has urged his players to build on that result, knowing that a win would see them leapfrog Ireland.

He said: "This game against Ireland will be the biggest challenge so far for us. We lost narrowly to them at Parc y Scarlets last season and then beat them to gain fifth position at the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan last June.

"Following the pleasing performance against France last time out, the key challenge for us now is to back up the growing expectation from ourselves and others and show the endurance, technical ability and mental toughness to do it again.

“Ireland are a quality side that put their bodies on the line for 80 minutes which is what we've been doing but we need to do it again.”

Wales U20: Dan Fish (Blues); James Loxton (Blues), Ben John (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys); Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys, vice-captain), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Dan Watchurst (Dragons), Rhys Williams (Blues), Simon Gardiner (Scarlets), Macauley Cook (Blues), Lloyd Peers (Ospreys), Morgan Allen (Pontypool), Josh Navidi (capt, Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons)

Replacements: Ieuan Davies (Glamorgan Wanderers), Trystan Davies (Scarlets), James Thomas (Dragons), Rhys Jenkins (Dragons), Edward Siggery (Llandovery), Rhys Downes (Blues), Dean Gunter (Blues) Travelling reserve: Joe Rees (Tonmawr / Ospreys academy)