Six Nations 2014: Byron Hayward wants U20 championship win

Coach Byron Hayward is hoping to go one better than last season by guiding Wales to the U20 Six Nations title.

Wales lost to England in a winner-takes-all Grand Slam decider in 2013, and they kick off this campaign against Italy in Colwyn Bay on Friday.

Former Wales fly-half Hayward is adamant his team has to improve on last year.

"Our objective is to win the championship and develop for the World Cup," he said.

"We've got a lot of talented players in Wales, and our objective has to be to better than we were last year and we finished second in the World Cup and had a Grand Slam decider against England."

The Welsh host Italy at the Parc Eirias ground, which has become the official home of the U20 team.

"We really enjoy going up there - it's our home ground and we've been very successful there - I think we've only lost one game there," added the former Ebbw Vale stand-off.

Only five of the Wales team played in last season's competition - captain Steffan Hughes and centre partner, RGC's Harri Evans along with hooker Elliot Dee, prop Nicky Thomas and No 8 James Benjamin.

Wales U20 (v Italy): Afon Bagshaw (Rygbi Gogledd Cymru); Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Harri Evans (RGC), Steffan Hughes (capt, Scarlets), Joshua Adams (Scarlets); Ethan Davies (Dragons), Tom Williams (Blues); Callum Lewis (Blues), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Nicky Thomas (Ospreys ), Ben Roach (Blues), James Sheekey (Blues), Will Boyde (Carmarthen), Scott Matthews (Dragons), James Benjamin (Dragons)

Replacements: Scott Otten (Ospreys), Leon Crump (Blues), Benjamin Leung (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Dragons), Connor Lloyd (Scarlets), Luke Price (Ospreys), Garyn Smith (Blues)