2023 will mark a decade since Wales under-20s nearly conquered the world with an exciting full-back, an award-winning fly-half and an influential captain.
Unfortunately, they fell at the final hurdle as an England team featuring future internationals like Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson and Wales' own Ross Moriarty ended up victorious.
Yet, coming away from that final defeat, you couldn't help but feel the future was bright. So, what has become of the Wales XV which nearly won the 2013 U20s World Championship?
15. Jordan Williams
The then-Scarlets full-back looked a star in the making after ripping South Africa to shreds in a dramatic semi-final with his devastating step and elusiveness.
Went on to tour South Africa the following year after impressing in the Probables vs Possibles match at the Liberty Stadium, but was denied a cap on tour.
After leaving the Scarlets following the arrival of Wayne Pivac, Williams spent some time at Bristol before returning to Wales with the Dragons. During his time in Newport, he's made 62 appearances for the Dragons.
14. Ashley Evans
The back-three player scored twice in the final, but ended up plying his trade in the Welsh Premiership after never really getting his big chance at either the Scarlets or Ospreys.
He's played for Wales Sevens and made appearances for Bridgend Ravens, Neath and Llandovery in recent years.
13. Steff Hughes
The centre had his fair share of bad luck to deal with after suffering a major knee injury in January 2015 while playing for Llanelli.
Full international honours have yet to come his way, but he was nothing other than an excellent servant to the Scarlets until being released at the end of last season.
Since then, he's signed for the Dragons on a short-term contract - proving a valuable addition to their midfield with a string of impressive performances.
12. Jack Dixon
Dixon became the youngest player to make a Welsh regional appearance when he came off the bench in the LV= Cup win away at Wasps in October 2011, aged just 16 years 313 days.
He then made it into Warren Gatland’s 2015 World Cup training squad before suffering a serious kidney injury in a pre-season friendly which left him unable to train for several months.
All the while, he's been a reliable presence for the Dragons in midfield.
11. Hallam Amos
The first of our team to have won a Wales cap, Amos amassed 25 caps after being handed his Test debut months after shining for the U20s in 2013.
Those 25 caps saw him play in two World Cups, feature in two Six Nations triumphs while he's also one of three Welshmen, alongside Shane Williams and Gareth Thomas, to score tries against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina. He also played in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
He swapped the Dragons for Cardiff in 2019, but decided in October 2021 to announce his retirement from the game at the age of 27 to focus on his medical career.
10. Sam Davies
The man pulling the strings in the class of 2013, Davies picked up the 2013 IRB Junior Player of the Year award, seeing off New Zealand’s Ardie Savea and England flanker Jack Clifford to the title.
He earned senior recognition with his first cap off the bench against Australia in 2016, before a match-winning drop goal against Japan and impressive cameo saw calls for him to get the nod at fly-half as the 2017 Six Nations progressed.
That didn't happen and the time spent in Wales camp playing neither rugby for the Ospreys or Wales seemed to affect his game. However, a move to the Dragons has helped his career - although he's still on the outskirts of the national side.
9. Rhodri Williams
The son of popular former Swansea scrum-half Alan Williams, Rhodri is a talented half-back in his own right - hence his three senior caps for Wales.
However, the last of those was in 2014 - with a move from the Scarlets to Bristol not exactly helping his international hopes.
Now at the Dragons, Williams has been playing arguably some of the best rugby of his career. Unfortunately, it's yet to result in a recall.
1. Gareth Thomas
In the summer of 2014, the Newcastle Emlyn product left Carmarthen Quins to join the Ospreys.
Since joining the region, he's established himself for club and country - making his Test debut in the summer of 2021 and gradually working his way into the starting XV.
Having won his first eight caps off the bench, he's made the jersey his own recently - starting each of Wales' last nine matches.
2. Elliot Dee
Another to taste international rugby from the class of 2013, the dynamic hooker first broke into the Dragons regional team during the 2013/14 season having previously played for Bedwas in the Welsh Premiership.
For a long time, he was Ken Owens' deputy in the Welsh side. However, he appeared to fall out of favour under Wayne Pivac - with the likes of Ryan Elias, Dewi Lake and Dragons team-mate Bradley Roberts all moving ahead of him.
The return of Warren Gatland as Wales coach could offer him a lifeline, though.
3. Nicky Thomas
The tight-head has been around a bit since featuring for the U20s seven years ago.
Since leaving the Ospreys in 2015, he turned out for some big clubs like Bristol Bears, Gloucester, Scarlets, Dragons and Wasps. He briefly returned to the Swansea.com Stadium, before finishing his career at Aberavon.
At the age of 27, he decided to call it a day earlier this year.
4. Carwyn Jones
A towering presence as a 6ft 6in and 19st lock, Jones turned out for Carmarthen Quins in the Premiership while with the Scarlets.
He managed three appearances off the bench for the regions before heading across the border to play for Ealing Trailfinders.
Since then, he's ended up in France at RC Vannes, playing until 2021 when he called time on his career at the age of 28.
5. Rhodri Hughes
Hughes was seen as someone ready to make his mark at senior level but unfortunately that hasn't happened for him.
He struggled for minutes at the Ospreys, with the likes of Lloyd Ashley, Rory Thornton and Adam Beard all overtaking him in the pecking order.
However, he's he's played most of rugby at Premiership level - most recently at Aberavon.
6. Jack Jones
Capable of playing in the back and second rows, Jones was handed the captaincy of Swansea RFC when he was just 18 in 2011.
Months after the World Championship, he penned a senior deal with the Ospreys, while he also headed out to Italy to further his rugby education with Rovigo.
However, he was let go by the region and went on to play Welsh Premiership rugby, currently captaining Llandovery after spells at Llanelli, Neath and Aberavon.
7. Ellis Jenkins
The captain of this side, who knows how many caps he'd have by now if fortune favoured him.
Long-term injuries have hampered him, but his quality at Test level is undoubted - having captained Wales as recently as last autumn.
Fell out of favour under Wayne Pivac at the start of 2022, but his solitary competitive appearance for Cardiff recently showed he still has plenty more to give.
8. Ieuan Jones
The No. 8 made 32 appearances for the Dragons across three seasons before moving to the Cardiff Blues in the summer of 2014.
However, when Mark Hammett arrived at the Arms Park, he was deemed surplus to requirements and went out on loan to the Ospreys.
He's since played Premiership rugby before joining Pontypool in 2019, scoring 14 tries in 53 appearances for the club.
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