Wales prospect Gwynne inspired by late father

Wales Under-20s captain Deian Gwynne is being driven by the inspiration of his late father as he looks to finish a breakthrough season on a high at the Junior World Championship.

The 20-year-old blind-side flanker will continue to be an ever-present for his country in 2025-26 when he faces Uruguay on Thursday (10:00 BST).

Gwynne is leading from the front in Georgia after starring in the Six Nations, while he has also flourished with Gloucester.

The fixture in Tbilisi will be his 25th outing of a season that started with the target of learning with Hartpury RFC in Champ Rugby, but quickly turned into him becoming a firm fixture for the Cherry and Whites.

"I had more games than I expected and I am chuffed with how it's gone. I've learnt so much," said Gwynne, who made his professional debut in 2024.

"I started off playing a few pre-season games with Hartpury, then got a few opportunities with Gloucester in the Prem Cup before I was lucky enough to play against Harlequins in the league before Christmas."

Gwynne made a smattering of Gloucester appearances in the 2024-25 campaign but featured more prominently in 2025-26, ending with 17 appearances.

"You have to get up to the pace as quickly as possible – because it is really fast – and then there is the physical side of things," said the forward, who had three Champions Cup outings.

"There were quite a few difficult opponents such as Leicester in the Slater Cup at Villa Park. That was a tough day against a big pack, but that's the best way to learn."

Gloucester endured a tough season, finishing eighth, but the club's summer reinforcements excite Gwynne.

Scrum-half Tomos Williams is Saracens-bound but next season Gwynne will be a team-mate of Wales captain Dewi Lake and Lions flanker Jac Morgan after their switches from Ospreys.

"There's no hiding away from it, the season was tricky for many reasons but there's also excitement about what is ahead," he said.

"To have Dewi and Jac joining is really exciting. A few years ago I was watching Jac on TV and now hopefully I will get the opportunity to play alongside him in the back row."

First is the small matter of finishing his time in age-grade rugby strongly.

Gwynne - called a "follow-me leader" by Wales Under-20s boss Richard Whiffin - was top carrier in the Six Nations with 66 and third for dominant tackles (13) and successful tackles (71).

He has picked up where he left off at the Junior World Championship and was to the fore in the dramatic 25-24 win against Georgia in the opening round.

But Gwynne was an onlooker as Irakli Kolbaia charged towards the line with the clock in the red, jumping on top of the pile after team-mates Caio James, Carwyn Leggatt-Jones and Lewis Edwards had somehow got under the hefty forward.

"There were a few bodies under there but luckily the ref gave the correct decision," said Gwynne.

"It was a massive confidence-booster but the turnarounds are fast in this tournament so we have parked it and moved on to Uruguay."

Wales have retained just two members of their starting line-up - Gwynne and full-back Tom Bowen - but will expect a bonus-point victory against the South Americans that would set up a shoot-out with South Africa for Pool A top spot.

Gwynne has been joined in Georgia for the first three fixtures by his mother Nicol and brother Deri.

Proud family members will be at Avchala Stadium while thoughts of his father Dewi, a former Aberystwyth RFC captain who died just over two years ago, are never far away.

"It's a big inspiration for me and ultimately why I started playing the game and got to where I am now," said Deian. "It drives me on and that's why I want to get better every day."

Nobody could question that is has been mission accomplished on that front in a terrific 2025-26 that is not over yet for a very promising player.