Wales Under-20s provided Warren Gatland’s senior squad with compelling evidence New Zealand teams are beatable with an heroic 8-7 victory at the World rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina.
It was only the second time in history Wales have accounted for the Baby Blacks – the class of 2012 having won 9-6 – and you could see its importance in the players' reaction afterwards.
Captain colossus Dewi Lake summed it all up as he broke down in tears during a live TV interview following the match, which you can see here.
Wales haven’t defeated New Zealand at full Test level since 1953 but may get a chance at this year’s World Cup in Japan.
None of the Wales U20 stars were named by national coach Gatland in his training squad this time around but plenty of them will be hoping to make it for the 2023 tournament in France.
So who are prime contenders to grab the attention of Gatland’s successor Wayne Pivac and actually be in the Wales starting XV in four years' time?
DEWI LAKE
The Wales hooking berth is likely to be up for grabs sooner rather than later, with marvellous servant Ken Owens already 32.
The ‘Sheriff of Carmarthen’ will most likely target the Lions tour of South Africa in 2021 but it will be a big ask for a player who packs down in the middle of the front-row, is a physical ball-carrier and has already suffered numerous injuries to make the 2023 global showpiece.
Elliot Dee and Ryan Elias are next in line but Owens is clearly Gatland’s overwhelming first choice pick.
Dragons dynamo Dee will be 29 come France and Elias 28 so they should be at the peak of their powers.
But, from what we have seen in Argentina, Lake could surely turn into a realistic challenger.
The 20-year-old has got so much going for him and he appears to be a captain who leads from the front in the mould of a certain Sam Warburton.
And the similarity doesn’t end there as Lake is almost immovable when he latches on to the ball to jackal at the breakdown.
In fact, Lake seems to be up there with two hookers who have been masters of the steal in recent years, Bismarck du Plessis and Malcolm Marx.
The South Africa pair are big men and Lake is in the same category, being 6ft 1in and 17st 7lb.
Lake, like Marx, is also an ex-back-row forward, highly mobile and possessing a big engine, getting through a mountain of work in the loose and being a strong ball-carrier.
Lake currently has a flaw in his game that Marx, who is now widely regarded as the best hooker in the world, once suffered from, and that is a lack of accuracy in his lineout throwing.
If Lake can iron that out, the evidence suggests he could be fast-tracked by the Ospreys to put himself in line to be Wales No.2 at the World Cup in France.
TIAAN THOMAS-WHEELER
Wales aren’t blessed with great depth at centre looking forward, with Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parkes both already in their 30s.
Owen Watkin has forced his way into Gatland’s squad but Pivac needs more midfielders to push into the reckoning over the next few years.
Thomas-Wheeler certainly fits the bill as a possible option, while Cardiff Blues side-stepper Willis Halaholo could throw his lot in with Wales when he qualifies on residency.
It will also be interesting to see if Owen Lane is moved back into the centre by the Blues, who have another talented prospect in Harri Millard.
Blues’ Australian coach John Mulvihill has also spoken of using outside-half Jarrod Evans as a second play-maker at inside-centre, although that idea could be put on ice with Gareth Anscombe having joined the Ospreys.
Thomas-Wheeler, who last month signed his first contract with the Ospreys after making seven appearances for them last season, faces competition from Watkin, Williams and Cory Allen at the Liberty Stadium.
But, despite Wales suffering from a lack of clean possession from line-outs, he has shone at the U20 World Championship.
He scored an opportunist try, hacking on to score following a fumble in midfield by New Zealand, and his defence has been solid.
Thomas-Wheeler, an impressive specimen at 6ft 3in and 15st 7lb, runs clever angles, has good timing on to passes and an eye for the gap.
The 19-year-old has caused opponents problems in Argentina but we haven’t seen enough of his skill-set in attack because Wales have lacked ball and have largely employed safety-first tactics with their half-backs often resorting to the boot.
Thomas-Wheeler is another product of the village of Trebanos, following in the stud-marks of, among others, Justin Tipuric, Robert Jones, Bleddyn Bowen and Arwel Thomas.
And, if his development continues apace, he may well be wearing No.12 or 13 for Wales in 2023.
TOMMY REFFELL
The Leicester Tigers flanker’s best work is reminiscent of Lions and Wales superstar Warburton in the way he attacks the breakdown.
Reffell was a one-man demolition force against Argentina in Wales’ opening day victory at the U20 World Championship.
He got in over the ball to pilfer possession or win turnover penalties as Wales upset the hosts in Rosario with a sensational success.
The Pumitas must have been sick of the sight of him as he put his body on the line will scant regard for his safety.
They love Reffell at Leicester and it’s easy to see why they call him a warrior with his outstanding efforts against Fiji, world champions France and New Zealand.
The Pencoed product has many similarities to Ellis Jenkins, with both of them genuinely tough and physical men. You can read a recent interview with Reffell in which he explains why he left Wales, here.
Reffell, of course, will have to force his way into the Wales set-up of Pivac and faces some severe competition.
Tipuric may not be around for too much longer but there’s Jenkins, Josh Navidi, Aaron Wainwright, James Davies and Ollie Griffiths to consider.
Reffell won’t have any qualms about taking any of them on, though, and could well be in the first-choice back row by 2023.
