Wales will play their 100th U-21 international against England next month with a squad including an unprecedented six senior internationals.The game, at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground on May 15, will be used by senior boss John Toshack virtually as a warm-up for the forthcoming full internationals in Iceland and Holland.
Such is the youthfulness of the Wales senior squad now, many of the Under-21s are inter-changeable.
Now Under-21 boss Brian Flynn has included senior players Wayne Hennessey, Chris Gunter, Neal Eardley, David Cotterill, Lewin Nyatanga and David Edwards in the squad to face England, who were also Wales' first opponents at this level in 1976.
Flynn has arguably the strongest Under-21 squad in his country's history, and the likes of Jack Collison, Sam Vokes and Ched Evans are expected to be called up for the Iceland and Holland games for the first time.
Wales' progress at Under-21 level has taken the side to the brink of reaching the play-offs for the UEFA Championships held in Sweden next year.
And they could even be drawn against England in that two-legged play-off in November.
Flynn has not included Cardiff's Joe Ledley and Aaron Ramsey because they will be playing in the FA Cup final, while Swansea's Joe Allen is left out because he is suspended for the next group match against Romania.
Flynn said: "It is an important match when you are able to use England as a warm-up game and an indication of how far we've come.
"I remember it was at Wrexham that they beat us 4-0 in a European Championship game three years ago.
"We didn't deserve a 4-0 defeat because we played very well on the night, but all credit to the lads who have come through since then and I could have produced two squads for this match. It's great to have that sort of strength in depth.
"In many respects the senior internationals have come in to replace the Cardiff lads."
He added: "It could happen that we play England in the play-offs. There are 10 group winners and four best runners-up to produce seven ties. All I know is that the runners-up can't play each other.
"It's a really interesting game at a good time of the year. It will benefit the senior internationals too because they will have a week's training before going out with the squad to Iceland and Holland at the end of the month.
"And for those players yet to make their senior debuts this is another opportunity for them to show the national team manager what they can do.
"They will get their chance soon. I was at Bolton two weeks ago when Jack (Collison) made his full debut for West Ham and he put in a really thorough professional performance.
"Sam (Vokes) is doing exceptionally well and scoring goals in a team near the bottom of their league and for an 18-year-old he is holding down his place well. Ched (Evans) likewise, a real throwback to old time centre-forwards.
"If they do well there must be a chance they will go to Iceland and Holland."
Wales Under-21 squad to play England at Wrexham, May 15: Hennessey (Wolves), Fon Williams (Crewe), Eardley (Oldham), Gunter (Tottenham), Jacobson (Bristol Rovers), Nyatanga (Derby), Ribeiro (Bristol City), M Williams (Wrexham), R Williams (Middlesbrough), Adams (Bury), Bradley (Walsall), Collison (West Ham), Edwards (Wolves), MacDonald (Swansea), Church (Reading), Cotterill (Wigan), Evans (Manchester City), Vokes (Bournemouth).
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