One of those rewards is a spot in Wales’ squad for this weekend’s world-famous tournament. “It’s my first time in Hong Kong and the boys tell me this is the biggest one, so I’m excited,” says Gasson, fresh from taking part in a coaching session with local children at Hong Kong Football Club.
“We’ve got a good group: England first up, which we’re all buzzing about, then we’ve got USA – who we played well against in Vancouver last time out – finishing off with Spain who’ve beaten us twice this year, so we owe them.”
If the past two injury-struck seasons have been frustrating for the 22-year-old, he seems to have regained his confidence having been selected by head coach Richie Pugh in his squad for the past four tournaments.
Watch George Gasson’s try against Canada in Las Vegas here.
“This season is my first proper season with the boys. I feel I’m improving my game each tournament, and with that your confidence grows as well. After missing a lot of game time with a few injuries, sevens has allowed me lot of ball-in-hand time, taking people on – things that are crucial in my position.
“It’s such a fast game, which suits me as a wing, but it’s also really physical. The contact area is huge in sevens. Over the last few weeks it’s really improved my game, such as being a jackaling threat over the ball, which I’d never really think of doing in 15s before.”
He underlines how tough the game is at the top level, saying: “You just can’t switch off. Even when you’re tired, you have to focus and keep working hard. You need to stay switched on, performing whilst you’re tired because you have to make those crucial passes and one-on-one tackles.”
Along with sevens teammate Reuben Morgan-Williams, Gasson was a member of the Wales U20 squad that clinched the Grand Slam in 2016. “That was a good campaign to be involved in,” he says. “I played against France at home on my first cap [in which he scored], and then against England in Bristol. I got injured in that game, but it was a class day nonetheless.”
Other players in that victorious squad included Owen Watkin, Adam Beard, and Dillon Lewis, who went on replicate the achievement with the national squad last month. “You see how those players have gone through the same pathway as you and how much they’ve developed, and knowing that you’ve played alongside them in the U20s set-up gives you a boost. If you work hard enough, you can make it.”
He has high hopes for his home region, Dragons, and believes it’s only a matter of time before they start building momentum. “We’ve had a lot of success at age-grade level, with our U18s winning the regional championship recently, so it’s just a case of bringing them through in the coming seasons.
“There’s a good bunch of boys at Dragons. I enjoy being there, learning a lot from the senior players, particularly the back-three guys such as Zane Kirchner and Hallam Amos, who really look after the youngsters.”
Gwent is renowned for being a hotbed of rugby talent, and it was at Bedwas that Gasson learnt some of the game’s most valuable lessons. “I’m from Caerphilly, so the club is local to me. I was with them from a young age, 16-17, which gave me a good taste of senior rugby that has benefited me a lot.”
From the Bridge Field to Hong Kong Stadium, Gasson is excited about what the future holds for him. “I want to finish this sevens season well with Wales, then the aim is to have a good pre-season with Dragons and see where it goes from there.”
Wales Sevens squad: Luke Treharne (c), Owen Jenkins, Cai Devine, Afon Bagshaw, Ben Roach (all core players) Cardiff Blues: Dafydd Smith, Cameron Lewis Dragons: Joe Goodchild, George Gasson Ospreys: Ben Cambriani, Reuben Morgan-Williams Scarlets: Tomi Lewis, Tom Rogers.
Wales’ Hong Kong fixtures: England v Wales (11:31 GMT, Friday), USA v Wales (05:25, Saturday). Wales v Spain (08:44, Saturday). Live on Sky Sports.
