THE Welsh Rugby Union are setting up a youth board to in a bid to attract and retain more youngsters in the game.

The governing body are inviting applications for spots on a 15-strong panel that is set to meet for the first time in January.

Applicants are asked to analyse and consider the issues which lead to some youngsters drifting away from the sport between the ages of 16 and 21 and submit a two-minute video summarising their thoughts by November 25.

In order to gain access to the new boardroom, entrants must be aged between 16 and 21 and be able to travel to Wales for board meetings, with further details available at www.wru.wales/youthboard

"The opinions of this group will be available to the decision-makers within the governing body," said chief executive Martyn Phillips, who will chair the board.

"It is important for any business that young people are heard, especially on matters which are at the core of their experiences, like the drift away from the game by players in their late teens.

"The Rugby World Cup has enthused a huge new following for the game and we have a duty to keep as many of those fans as possible engaged in the sport.

"We must find ways of attracting more of these youngsters to be the players, coaches, volunteers and administrators for now and the future.

"I am forming the new WRU youth board because I genuinely believe that if we find the right young people the business will benefit from their insight and analysis on this and other issues.

"The WRU is achieving huge success in attracting the very young into the game, but in order to remain the national sport of Wales we have to keep more people, both male and female, engaged with rugby through long careers both on and off the pitch."

The Board will have a remit to take evidence from players, coaches, volunteers and administrators within the game as well as from people who are not currently engaged in rugby, as its first project.

The fifteen people selected for the Youth Board will gather around four times a year with the inaugural meeting held at the Millennium Stadium in January.

The successful applicants will be expected to be involved for at least two years. A shortlist of candidates will be selected for an assessment day in early December.