TOM Prydie was due to fly to Scotland this week for an Under-18s game in Melrose — instead he will run out in front of 74,000 people as Wales's youngest ever international player.

Prydie's ''Boy's Own'' story continued yesterday when the Ospreys fledgling was named in Wales's starting XV for the Six Nations finale against Italy in Cardiff on Saturday.

Youngest

At 18 years and 27 days Prydie will race into the record books as the country's youngest cap, eclipsing Cardiff's Norman Biggs, who was 18 years and 50 days when he donned the three feathers for the first time way back in 1888.

It is an incredible elevation for a player who was still in school in June and has started just two regional matches this season — both as part of a makeshift Ospreys line-up in the Anglo-Welsh LV= Cup.

In December he became the youngest to appear in the Heineken Cup when he came on as a replacement against Viadana, but not in his wildest dreams could he have seen this on the horizon.

At 6ft 4in and 13stone 10lb and possessing pace to burn — he is the quickest player in the Wales squad with a time of 10.98secs for the 100m — Prydie is seen as a prototype modern wing and a player with talent way beyond his years.

But it says a lot about how little Welsh rugby has seen of the Porthcawl comprehensive product that his Ospreys skipper Ryan Jones will play alongside him for the first time against the Azzurri on Saturday.

"Warren called all the boys in to announce the team. I wasn't taking much notice because I wasn't really expecting to play," a stunned Prydie said.

"I didn't quite hear the team and had Lee Byrne stamping on my foot and nudging me. I said 'What are you doing?' and he said 'you're on the wing' I was just shaking, I couldn't believe it.

Dream

"I didn't think I'd even be selected in the squad, that I was just here for the future. This is just unbelievable, a dream come true."

Explaining his latest left-field selection, head coach Gatland said: "Part of the plan with Tom and Kristian (Phillips) was to develop depth at wing, it was an area we felt we were a little bit exposed.

"The pleasing thing is that a couple of players from the regions have stepped up, like Aled Brew, Will Harries and Andy Fenby, and if they can continue that consistency that is great for us.

"But Tom has really impressed us in training, we have heard a lot of positive things about him and we believe he is someone who could be a special player in the future.

"You look at Australia and they have no hesitation in picking young players, the likes of Larkham and Giteau; Horan and Little were 19 when they started and more recently there is James O'Connor (debuted at 18).

"They are players who they stick with and end up being real stars of the future.

He added: "There will be no pressure on Tom, all you can say to a youngster is go out and enjoy it and not be too overawed by the occasion.

"The next few days are going to be difficult, his phone won't stop ringing and we have to try to protect him from all the hype, focus and outside pressures and try and make his first cap as positive and memorable as possible."

Prydie replaces Leigh Halfpenny — who is carrying a long-standing shoulder problem — as one of five changes from the miserable 27-12 defeat to Ireland in Dublin.

There is a welcome return from injury for the British Lions trio of skipper Jones, loose-head prop Gethin Jenkins and scrum-half Mike Phillips, while Sam Warburton replaces Martyn Williams at openside, the veteran flanker dropping out of the match-day squad after leading the side at Croke Park.

Gatland insisted the selection of Warburton shouldn't be seen as a changing of the guard, rather a way of looking after Williams up until the World Cup next year and also ensuring Wales have an alternative seven with enough Test match experience under his belt.

The New Zealander has resisted the temptation for wholesale changes with no place in the squad for another Ospreys youngster Dan Biggar. Gareth Delve drops down to the bench to make way for Jones, while Sale scrum-half Dwayne Peel is preferred among the replacements to Richie Rees.

Wales: L. Byrne; T. Prydie, J. Hook, J. Roberts, S. Williams; S. Jones, M. Phillips; G. Jenkins, M. Rees, A. Jones, B. Davies, L. Charteris, J. Thomas, R. Jones (capt), S. Warburton. Replacements: H. Bennett, P. James, I. Gough, G. Delve, D. Peel, A. Bishop, T. Shanklin.