TEENAGE centre Aneurin Owen hopes to follow in the footsteps of Gavin Henson tonight by downing the English after picking up tips from the former Wales playmaker at the Dragons.

The 18-year-old from Newport will line up in the 12 jersey for Wales Under-20s in their Six Nations encounter with England in Colwyn Bay.

The centre is tipped as one to watch by the Dragons management and this season has benefited from pearls of wisdom from the likes of double Grand Slam winner Henson, Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon.

Owen, who only turned 18 in October, is yet to make his regional debut but enjoyed an outing for the Dragons A in the Celtic Cup against the Scarlets and has been enjoying his experience with Ebbw Vale in the Principality Premiership.

The Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw pupil is hoping to study sports performance analysis at Cardiff Met in the next academic year and has been doing plenty of rugby homework this season.

He has been brought into the Wales Under-20s set-up early and started at inside centre in the loss to France and victory in Italy.

"The experience has been unreal so far, I've got a taste of professional rugby and what it is like being in this environment," said the teenager, who started playing the game at Newport High School Old Boys before being picked up by the Dragons academy.

"Every step is a bit more challenging and you will get left behind quite quickly if you don't put in the work or step up to the next level.

"Each game so far has brought different challenges. We are learning something new and adapting each time."

South Wales Argus:

Owen played fly-half until he was 17 when the Dragons looked to use his ball-playing skills from midfield.

The teenager knows that he will be tested in attack and defence by the English, who responded to an opening weekend loss in Ireland by hammering the French.

"England are a good side and you always have to be at your best to beat them," said Owen, who beat the fierce rivals with the Under-18s in South Africa last summer.

"They are a physical team but they also have the option with their backs to play a bit wider and step you.

"Some sides can be one-dimensional by being direct and some play with a lot of offloads but England can bring both sides to the game."

Wales are without Taine Basham, who scored a hat-trick in Italy, because he will feature for the Dragons against Benetton in the Guinness PRO14.

However, boss Gareth Williams is quick to point to the exploits of his regional teammate Lennon Greggains, another former Newport High School Old Boy who started at blindside in Mantua.

"The nuts and bolts of his game were excellent, it's easy to forget that he had been out for eight weeks (with a hamstring injury)," said Williams.

"His tackling, work around the pitch and unseen work was superb. He gave the opportunity for Taine to score three tries or boys to turn ball over. He did his job and we are chuffed to bits with Lennon."

Scrum-half Dafydd Buckland and lock Ed Scragg also start tonight with fellow Dragons Will Griffiths, Tom Devine, Max Ayling, Dan Babos and Deon Smith on the bench.

Wales U20: Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues), Tomi Lewis (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues), Aneurin Owen (Dragons), Dewi Cross (Ospreys), Cai Evans (Ospreys), Dafydd Buckland (Dragons), Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Dewi Lake (captain, Ospreys), Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), Ed Scragg (Dragons), Teddy Williams (Cardiff Blues), Lennon Greggains (Dragons), Jac Morgan (Aberavon/Scarlets), Iestyn Rees (Scarlets).

Replacements: Will Griffiths (Dragons), Tom Devine (Dragons), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Max Ayling (Dragons), Ellis Thomas (Llanelli), Dan Babos (Dragons), Sam Costello (Leicester), Deon Smith (Dragons).