Six Nations/Wales focus: John O'Sullivan on a crop of Wales players who hail from a winning culture at underage levels

Welsh rugby's pre-eminence in this season's Six Nations Championship might have caused a raised eyebrow across the Severn Bridge but the portents were apparent from last November's international series.

Wales produced scintillating rugby in defeat, their one-point reverse against New Zealand perhaps the most graphic illustration. Having learned to perform, they have discovered how to win in this Six Nations, finishing the right side of fraught encounters with England and France.

Mike Ruddock has placed parameters and structures on the Welsh game while allowing them the latitude to express their natural ability. The upshot has seen a buoyant national team provide the most entertaining rugby of the tournament. While acknowledging Ruddock's intuitive handling and understanding of his charges, we should also note this crop of players hail from a winning culture at underage levels and indeed in this aspect they share a bond with the Ireland team they face.

Right wing Rhys Williams, who has played at every level for Wales, was a member of the national side beaten in final of the under-19 World Cup of 1999, 12 months after an Ireland team that included Brian O'Driscoll and Donncha O'Callaghan had won the title in France.

Williams was joined on the Welsh team that year by scrumhalf Dwayne Peel, prop Gethin Jenkins and number eight Michael Owen, all of whom line out today: Ceri Sweeney, among the replacements for this Six Nations game, was outhalf on that underage team.

More than two-thirds of this Welsh team have represented the principality at underage level, most coming through the under-19 and under-21 grades. The Welsh Rugby Union place a huge emphasis on those age grades in particular as they allow their players to test themselves on the world stage.

Last night up at the Gnoll, Wales completed a Six Nations Championship Grand Slam at under-21 level for the third time (2000, 2003, 2005) in five years when they beat Ireland. Chris Davey has overseen all those triumphs. Today's outhalf Stephen Jones captained the under-21s when they won the first of those Slams in 2000.

It is therefore no surprise given that success and the time and money invested in age-grade rugby that Welsh rugby is in the ascendant. The parallel is there with this Ireland team, most of whom came through the same process, albeit most without similar success.

The IRFU's now defunct national academy has been subdivided into four regional academies and it'll be interesting to see how they fare. The conveyor belt of talent that came from the national academy in the 90s has dried up. Wales's Grand Slam at under-21 level last night and the obvious graduation rate as shown in today's senior team suggests Welsh rugby has got the structures right and can sustain the recent upsurge in fortunes.

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15 KEVIN MORGAN Caps: 31 Tries: 7 Two years on from dislocating his knee, the most serious in a litany of injuries, this quick, courageous player originally started on the bench, came in on the wing initially and then switched to fullback this season. Two tries the last day.

14 RHYS WILLIAMS Caps: 42 Tries: 16 Has played at every level for Wales and was a member of the under-19 team that reached the final of the World Cup in 1999. Started out as a fullback and that's where he has played most of his rugby. Quick, elusive and prolific with 10 tries in the Six Nations.

13 GAVIN HENSON Caps: 15 Points: 104 Fake tan, gel, golden boots, silver hair ends and a man who shaves his legs, Henson can't be accused of being dull. Also boasts a celebrity girlfriend in Charlotte Church. A superb place-kicker, he slotted the winning penalty against England. His tackling is improving but not necessarily good.

12 TOM SHANKLIN Caps: 32 Tries: 15 Has been an absolute revelation this season. Started on the wing but with Sonny Parker's injury moved to centre, where he has thrived. Scored four tries against Japan, three against Romania and one against New Zealand and Italy. His dad, Jim, scored a try against Ireland in 1973.

11 SHANE WILLIAMS Caps: 28 Tries: 24 Fantastic strike-rate. Started with the Amond United club as a scrumhalf before moving to Neath and then the Ospreys. Scored the all-important try against England and was the catalyst in the Italian match. Has scored three tries in four Six Nations outings. Can be brittle defensively.

10 STEPHEN JONES Caps: 47 Points: 425 The second highest points scorer in Welsh rugby history behind Neil Jenkins. Captained the under-21 team to a Grand Slam in 2000. Played at all age grades for the national side and was a central figure for Llanelli before moving to Clermont Auvergne. Surprised many this season.

9 DWAYNE PEEL Caps: 40 Tries: 4 Was voted man of the match in the game against Scotland for setting up two tries. Thrived against the man who will probably be his direct rival for the Lions Test jersey this summer, Chris Cusiter. Has played at every level for Wales. Strong, quick and a good passer.

1 GETHIN JENKINS Caps: 31 Tries: 0 Started as third-choice prop behind the Joneses Adam and Duncan and used to be introduced during matches. When Duncan got injured Jenkins got a starting slot and hasn't looked back. Brilliant around the pitch and can play both sides of the front row. Great prospect.

2 MEFIN DAVIES Caps: 28 Tries: 2 Solved what was a problem area for coach Mike Ruddock and is keeping the experienced Robin McBryde on the bench. Started with Dunvant then headed for Pontypridd, Celtic Warriors, Neath and finally Gloucester. Not the biggest but very mobile.

3 ADAM JONES Caps: 20 Tries: 1 One half of the hair-bear bunch. Former coach Steve Hansen originally used him as an impact player in reverse, starting him but then taking him off after 30 minutes. Now lasts much longer. He is usually replaced though, with John Yapp coming on and Gethin Jenkins moving to tighthead.

4 BRENT COCKBAIN Caps: 17 Tries: 1 Brother of Australian World Cup winner (1999) Matt. Arrived in Wales via London Irish. Lost his baby son Toby Lloyd Cockbain to a brain tumour and set up a charity as a result for which he does Trojan work. A big man in every sense of the word.

5 ROB SIDOLI Caps: 24 Tries: 1 A Merthyr Italian, he has played for Wales Youths, under-19 and under-21 and at club level went from Pontypridd to Cardiff via the Celtic Warriors. Was dropped by Wales and didn't play in any of the November international series but has been an ever present in the Six Nations.

6 RYAN JONES Caps: 6 Tries: 1 When the Celtic Warriors franchise folded he was considered the hottest property in Welsh rugby with a long queue forming outside his door. He made his Wales debut this season against South Africa and came off the bench in several games before an injury to Colin Charvis gave him a starting role.

7 MARTYN WILLIAMS Caps: 53 Tries: 7 Was told he would miss the first two rounds of the Six Nations with a neck injury but defied the pain when injuries to Daffyd Jones and Colin Charvis arose. Once dropped a goal while playing for his country, and scored a brace of tries in a man-of-the-match display against France. Superb so far.

8 MICHAEL OWEN (captain) Caps: 23 Tries: 1 The 1,000th Welsh player to be capped for the principality. Is very versatile, having been selected in the second row and at blindside flanker for his country. A superb athlete he inherited the captaincy from Gareth Thomas when the fullback broke his thumb against France.