THE Welsh Rugby Union’s hugely respected Wales Under-20s head coach and national academy coaching manager Allan Lewis has praised the Principality Premiership for its vital role in developing young talent.

WRU chairman Gareth Davies recently made controversial comments about the league.

Former Wales star Davies has been heavily criticised for remarks while discussing the escalating British and Irish Cup row in which he maintained the purpose of the semi-professional Premiership elite clubs is to produce players for the four regions and Wales – and not “for any of the clubs to win the league year after year”.

Premiership chairman and Cross Keys secretary Chris Clarke has already responded to the ex-Newport Gwent Dragons chief executive’s opinion but pointing out the league does underpin the regional structure and that all but one of the 12 players on dual national contract with Wales (New Zealand export Gareth Anscombe aside) were reared there.

Wales Grand Slam and British and Irish Lions winners Leigh Halfpenny, Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau, Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan Davies all cut their teeth in the Premiership before going on to enjoy glittering careers at the very pinnacle of the game.

In lauding the league for bringing on young talent, former Newport head coach Lewis – who delivered the Swalec Cup for the Black and Ambers in 2001 – listed the current Wales Under-20s members who are benefitting from playing there.

Writing in the programme for the Premiership Grand Final between Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale at Sardis Road on Sunday, Lewis, who was Graham Henry’s deputy with Wales, said: “The WRU sees the Principality Premiership as an integral part of the pathway to prepare players for the regional and international game.

“We feel it's important the clubs in this league adopt a dynamic style of rugby and play their part in the development of young talent.

“It’s great to see Wales Under-20s players – Tom Williams, Jarrod Evans, Liam Belcher, Dillon Lewis and Seb Davies for Pontypridd and Harrison Keddie and Keagan Bale for Ebbw Vale – playing a key role in their clubs’ campaigns.”

He then praised both Vale and Ponty for their abilities to play 15-man rugby.

Davies has upset many after he was speaking about the rumpus which has erupted over plans to replace Premiership clubs with Regional A teams in the cross-border British and Irish Cup competition for next season.

The thinking behind the planned shake-up is to bridge the gap between the Premiership and the four regional teams and improve the player development pathway.

It is a philosophy that is deeply unpopular with the clubs.

Cross Keys made the final of the tournament in 2012, Llanelli have made the semi-finals while Pontypridd have been very competitive and pushed Bristol and Worcester hard this season – the two sides battling to decide who returns to the Aviva Premiership this year.