Lydiate backs Wales youngsters to shine
Dan Lydiate is predicting a "baptism by fire" for Wales' young guns as they take on a powerful Georgian pack at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
The Ospreys back-rower is back in the Welsh side after returning from yet another injury and will add experience and cohesion to a side showing 14 changes to the team that played against Australia a week ago. At least he knows what to expect having been there and done it all with Wales and the British & Irish Lions.
"Georgia will be rubbing their hands together, but to be fair our boys will be doing the same. There will be nerves, but there's no better baptism of fire," admitted Lydiate.
"The last time we had it like this with some many youngsters was when players like myself were coming through. Time just flies and now we have another load of youngsters.
"In rugby there will always be different stages of development and at the moment I'm at the back end of it and new boys are coming in. I'm excited to be here and captaining such a young bunch.
"As a pack if we do well against a big, heavy Georgian eight it will only stand us in good stead in the future. I'm one of the older players in the squad now and I'm seeing all these youngsters coming through now.
"I remember what it's like to have played your first, second and third Test match. There will be a lot of nerves there on Saturday, but it's about channelling those in the right way and put in a good performance."
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has changed 14 of the starting XV from the 29-21 defeat to the Wallabies for the clash with the Georgians as this year's policy of blooding new players continues. Liam Williams is the only survivor, albeit in the new position of full back.
There were only two survivors from the final Six Nations game in France for the next game against Tonga (Scott Williams, Tom Francis) and only three players remained from the win in Samoa to the last week's game against Australia (Steff Evans, Aaron Shingler, Josh Navidi).
Lydiate is used to packing down with Taulupe Faletau and Sam Warburton in the Wales back row, but this weekend it will be Seb Davies and Sam Cross in a new look trio. The skipper can boast 60 caps, Davies and Cross have three between them.
In fact, Lydiate comfortably has more caps than the rest of the Welsh pack put together, with only Ospreys prop Nicky Smith (15) in double figures. The Georgian pack has 345 caps and five players playing their rugby in the Top 14 and Premiership.
If there was an experimental feel about the game plan against the Wallabies, which ended in a high quality performance and game, then there is just as great an air of excitement about the team Gatland has picked to face a team ranked at number 12 in the world.
The coach has talked about building strength in depth as the 2019 World Cup approaches and in the past six months he has put his money where his mouth is by capping no fewer than 13 new players. That could rise to 14 today if the Dragons hooker Elliot Dee comes off the bench.
Georgia return to the Welsh capital having played here before against the Al Blacks in the 2015 World Cup. Their stated intent is to turn over one of the Tier 1 nations and they warmed-up with a highly impressive 54-22 win over Canada last week.
The fact the two teams will next meet in their opening Pool match at the 2019 World Cup in Japan will add some extra spice to the occasion.