TIPPING the scales at 112kg, Harri Keddie is already bulkier than Newport Gwent Dragons teammate Taulupe Faletau but the Wales Under-20s back rower is prepared to be patient in his bid for regional rugby.

While Adam Beard, Owen Watkin and Jarrod Evans have been released to feature in the Guinness Pro12 this weekend, Keddie will be leading the charge against Scotland in Colwyn Bay on Friday (kick-off 6.30pm) as the Welsh youngsters attempt to back up their excellent Six Nations win in Ireland.

That suits the 19-year-old from Llanvaches just fine; he may have already have the physical attributes but he knows that there is plenty more experience to be gained before he is mixing it with the big boys.

"There's no rush, I am happy with the way the season is going and I just want to play well for the rest of the year with the Under-20s and Ebbw Vale," said the hard-hitting blindside/number eight. "I just want to keep putting in good performance and keep learning.

"I haven't really thought about regional rugby. I am just trying to play my game and it's up to the coaches to decide when I am ready.

"It's up to me to just perform well and I've enjoyed playing with Ebbw Vale and it was good to test myself a level up for the Dragons Premiership Select in the British and Irish Cup against English Championship clubs.

"It's been really positive training with the likes of Lewis Evans and Nick Crosswell at the Dragons, picking up pieces of information off them.

"They are so helpful and the advice they give you on the little details can make a big difference when you pile them all together.

"The back row is a real area of strength at the Dragons and getting used to training at that level and trying to match it will stand me in good stead."

Keddie may be a young gun at the Dragons' training base in Ystrad Mynach but the burgeoning back rower is part of the leadership group at Wales' HQ in the Vale of Glamorgan.

He is in his second year with the Under-20s, building towards a second World Cup where they will lock horns with New Zealand, Ireland and Georgia in June's tournament in Manchester.

"I really enjoy playing with the Under-20s, it's a really good camp and group of boys and it's even better when we play the sort of rugby we did last week," said Keddie, referring to the stunning four-try, 35-24 win in Dublin.

"It's like anything, when you do it the second time you can learn from experience and last season has made it easier and I can also help some of the younger boys with a bit of advice.

"The physicality and pace of the game becomes a bit more natural and you can concentrate on your game rather than worrying whether you will last the 80 minutes!"

Wales are buoyant for the clash with the Scots but the visitors not only won last year's fixture but beat England for the first time last weekend.

"Scotland had a really good power game and some nice backs to finish off some tries," said Keddie. "The boys who played there last year remember a really difficult game against a gritty pack making for a tough game up front."

Keddie is joined in the XV by Dragons teammate Bryce Morgan with the lock from Newport making his first start after coming off the bench last weekend. Dragons tighthead Leon Brown is among the replacements.

Wales U20: Rhun Williams (RGC); Elis-Wyn Benham (Cardiff Blues), Joe Thomas (Ospreys), Harri Millard (Cardiff Blues), Keelan Giles (Ospreys); Dan Jones (Scarlets), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys); Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Blues), Dafydd Hughes (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Shane Lewis-Hughes (Cardiff Blues), Bryce Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Tom Phillips (captain, Scarlets), Shaun Evans (Scarlets), Harrison Keddie (Newport Gwent Dragons)

Replacements: Ifan Phillips (Scarlets), Robert Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Leon Brown (Newport Gwent Dragons), James Ratti (Ospreys), Morgan Sieniawski (Cardiff Blues), Declan Smith (Scarlets), Billy McBryde (Scarlets), Joe Gage (Ospreys)