The chance to represent Wales Sevens for the first time in over eight years was one the 28-year-old from Cowbridge couldn’t turn down. Back then, Williams and sevens teammates Justin Tipuric and Alex Cuthbert were taking their first steps in professional rugby. They now have over 130 national squad caps between them.
“The three of us played on the World Series the whole season and absolutely loved it,” says Williams. “It was one of the most enjoyable years I’ve had in rugby, and I can see that same enjoyment in the boys who are playing sevens now.”
Now he says wants to do his best to play a part in the final stages of Wales’ season, culminating in the Sevens Rugby World Cup in San Francisco at the end of July. “I’ve only been in training for a week, and I’ve really enjoyed it. The boys are good fun and the morale is high. It’s been a tough transition on the field, but very easy off it.”
Regarded as one of the fittest players in Welsh rugby, it’s not so much the physical aspect of the seven-a-side game that takes some getting used to. “It’s more to do with how much space you have in sevens,” he explains. “In fifteens you’ve got people either side of you who are a metre or two away at the most. In sevens, you’re covering five metres either side. It’s a lot different.”
“I played a lot of sevens when I was younger, so hopefully things will kick into a place once we get going, because it’s quite tough to replicate it in training. I’m sure when the games actually start it’ll be easier to get the hang of it.”
Williams is one of three players in tomorrow’s squad coming off the back of a season in the Guinness Pro14, including Dragons’ Jared Rosser and Edinburgh’s Jason Harries. (Cory Allen of Ospreys was due to participate, but has withdrawn due to failing a late fitness test.)
Watching Tipuric make a gloriously assured return to sevens for the Commonwealth Games this year sparked something inside him. “I thought I’d love to be doing that if I didn’t have any fifteens coinciding with it, and I knew what was coming up in San Francisco. I’ve got to get selected first, though, so I’m trying to do as much as I can in this short space of time to do that.”
He’s re-entered the sevens scene with the full blessing of the Blues coaching staff, and will tomorrow return to the scene of one of his career highlights: Twickenham, where he set up that try for Gareth Davies to beat England in the 2015 World Cup.
“It will be surreal, because my game’s fifteens and the last time I played sevens at Twickenham was a long time ago – but at the end of the day, you’re there playing for your country. It’s just a great stadium, world-class. I want to just get out there with the boys and throw ball around.”
Wales Sevens Squad: Adam Thomas, Afon Bagshaw, Joe Jenkins, Cai Devine, Jason Harries, Luke Treharne, Owen Jenkins, Lloyd Williams, Tom Williams, Will Talbot-Davies, Jared Rosser, Luke Morgan. Travelling Reserve: Lloyd Evans.
Wales’ Pool B Fixtures: Spain v Wales (10:14 BST), Australia v Wales (13:42), Wales v Ireland (16:26). Live on Sky Sports.
