Huw S Thomas writes:

Llandovery College and Drovers prop Rhodri Jones learned last week that he had been voted Player of the Month by rugby’s top selling magazine Rugby World.

Hours later, the strapping 18 year-old flew off to Argentina with the Wales U-20 squad that will play in the Junior World U20 Championships.

The flight to Buenos Aires from Heathrow left just after Jones had also been selected in the magazine’s All Stars Team of the Year – the best 15 players in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in season 2009-2010. He was one of just three Welshmen in the XV alongside Bridgend College fly-half Matthew Morgan and Neath Port Talbot College flanker Ollie Pardoe. Coleg Sir Gâr’s Kirby Myhill was picked as a replacement thanks to his ability to play equally well at hooker and flanker.

Jones’s coach at the College, Iestyn Thomas – a former Harlequins and London Welsh hooker – was in no way surprised at Jones’s selection for both the award and the All Stars XV.

"Rhodri has got all it takes to become a senior Welsh prop in the not too distant future" said Thomas. "He is amazingly strong for an 18 year old, scrummages hard on both sides of the scrum with equal facility and carries the ball with power and determination."

Thomas’s words were echoed by Rugby World Schools editor Huw S Thomas who announced the award of Player of the Month to former Pwllheli junior player Jones, who has two elder brothers playing club rugby with Machynlleth.

“The 18 year-old from Machynlleth - a boarder at Llandovery College - wins our last award of the year after excelling in both schools and senior rugby throughout the season. After being the cornerstone of the College pack and a key player in the Wales U20 side, it was in the Principality Premiership that Jones really made his mark. His scrummaging for Llandovery was particularly outstanding against the experienced Aberavon front row that included Ospreys prop Cae Griffiths. It was the major factor in the Drovers 35-18 defeat of the Wizards and qualification for the 2010-2011 British and Irish Cup”.

In the World Cup in Argentina June 5-21 Wales U20s face stiff opposition in their pool with games against Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand. The top sides in each of three pools will go through to the semi-finals along with the best runner up and Wales will have to get big wins against Samoa on June 5 and Fiji on June 9 before the vital game against New Zealand on June 13.