Twickenham Awaits Baptism of Fire for Wales’ Youthful Lock Duo
This Saturday, the young Welsh lock pairing of Matthew Screech and Ben Carter will face their toughest test yet as they pack down against the formidable South African second-row combination of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert at Twickenham.
The Springboks’ veteran duo boast an impressive 192 international caps between them, with Etzebeth alone having more appearances (119) than the entire Welsh starting pack (118). In contrast, the Dragons’ Screech and Carter have only 12 caps to their name, with just five starts under their belt.
“It is exciting,” Carter told the Scrum V podcast. “They are the world champions, so who better to test yourself against?”
Carter, who missed out on Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad due to a hamstring injury, is eager to prove a point. During his rehabilitation, he has bulked up significantly, adding 5-6 kilograms to his frame.
“I put a lot on when I was injured, and in the first few games I was a bit worried it was too much, but I feel I have got used to it and carrying that extra weight in collisions,” he explained.
The young lock believes this added physicality will only benefit his game, as he has identified the collisions and physicality as areas he has been working to improve since the start of his professional career.
“This season I put a big focus on getting bigger and stronger to help in that aspect, so Saturday will be a brilliant test,” he said.
Despite the daunting task ahead, Carter remains excited about the prospect of taking the field alongside his Dragons teammate Screech.
“I love playing with Screech, he has been a great help to me coming through at the Dragons, and I’m looking forward to doing it in the Welsh shirt,” he added.
The stage is set for a titanic clash at Twickenham, as the youthful Welsh duo look to prove their worth against the experienced and world-champion Springboks.
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