Two pace men make welcome returns to Wales’ squad for the competition in the shape of Lloyd Lewis and Jay Jones. After a year out of the sevens programme during which he has starred for Pontypool, Lewis is back in sevens colours, while Jay Jones is raring to go after picking up an injury training for the Sydney Sevens in late January.
Head coach Richie Pugh commented: “It’s been good having Lloyd coming back in with his pace and finishing ability. He’s matured over the course of his year away and understood what an opportunity it is here with sevens. Now he’s embracing the new challenge of filtering back into the squad.”
Lewis, who has studied journalism at Cardiff University, is also a keen musician whose most recent single was released earlier this week – listen to it here.
As for Jones, who burst onto the scene in Dubai last December, Pugh said of his layoff from sevens: “In that time, he’s played for Wales U19 against England at the Brewery Field, so he’s had that bit of 15s experience. We’re pleased to have him back with us now because he’s a dangerous young player who will continue to learn and improve in this environment.”
Another who will be glad to get back on the field is Ben Roach, who missed the last two legs of the World Series following an elbow injury in Singapore.
In the first of two upcoming Rugby Europe competitions – the second will be played in Lodz, Poland, on 20th-21st July – Wales have been drawn in a pool with Portugal, Germany and Poland. In last year’s competition in Moscow, an inexperienced Wales side featuring Jones and Afon Bagshaw won the Challenge Trophy Final after beating Sweden.
Pugh suggested that his team will be going into Moscow with a different mindset to previous months: “We’re coming off the back of a World Series season that was highly pressurised, whereas this tournament offers us an opportunity to be a bit more relaxed, where we’ve given the boys a licence to express themselves. If anything, the pressure is on the other teams who are gunning for Olympic Qualifier rankings.
“This will be an in-out job for us: arriving on Friday, playing Saturday and Sunday, then home on Monday. I want the boys to enjoy it after a mentally exhausting year.”
Wales Sevens: Afon Bagshaw, Cameron Lewis, Cai Devine. Joe Jenkins, George Gasson, Dafydd Smith, Ethan Davies, Luke Treharne (c), Owen Jenkins, Jay Jones, Ben Roach, Lloyd Lewis.
Moscow Sevens fixtures: Portugal v Wales, 10:06 BST; Germany v Wales, 12:29, Wales v Poland, 15:36.
The Moscow Sevens will be streamed live on the Rugby Europe website.
