Each player in the squad is currently fighting for a place in the Team Wales squad, and as Fiji, Australia and England were named as opponents, the high-profile nature of the competition has only increased excitement in the camp.
However, there is the small matter of first facing France, USA and Poland this weekend, and leaving Wakley and assistant coach Jonathan Hooper with tough calls to make come the big selection day.
“We have hit the ground running Down Under,” said Wakley, who announced his squad for the tournament in late January. “It’s been an amazing experience out here. We have already had intense hit-outs against France, Poland and an Aussie invitational side.”
Those warm-ups were only preparation for the challenge that lies in wait on Saturday, Wakley said. “This will be one of the toughest tournaments the team has played, due to the number of opponents who have World Rugby Sevens Series experience, but it’s invaluable if we are going to be prepared for our own World Series qualifier and the Commonwealth Games.”
The team was able to take advantage of being located near the waterside venue that will host Team Wales in April, the Kurrawa Surf Club. “We were present for the Commonwealth Games group draw today, and I think it made it real for a lot of players, as well as letting them realise what’s at stake,” believed Wakley. “More importantly, it showed them how quickly the Commonwealths are going to come around. Two months and we are back again.”
Wales Women’s One Programme means that a number of players involved in Brisbane over the weekend will be available for selection in the next rounds of the Women’s Six Nations, despite missing tomorrow’s double-header against Scotland in Colwyn Bay.
Back on the sevens front, Wakley suggested that his team could benefit from not having made any headlines in the build-up: “I’m loving the fact that we are going under the radar into these tournaments, because teams in the group will have limited knowledge of what we are bringing to the party.”
“There is a bit of excitement for this Saturday and Sunday, with some nerves and pressure because the team will know that they now really need to stake a claim for their Commonwealth Games jersey.”
Wales Women Sevens fixtures (all times Australia EST)
Saturday 3rd Feb
Wales v France (12:00)
USA v Wales (16:00)
Poland v Wales (16:42)
