Baber takes the reins in Rees’s absence
Dai Rees will stay in Wales to help the Dragons try to reach the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup on Saturday March 31st, leaving assistant Wales Sevens coach Gareth Baber in charge of his young squad at the Hong Kong Sevens.
Wales Sevens head coach Rees, who is assistant coach at the Dragons, has named his 12-man squad for the Hong Kong and Adelaide IRB Sevens tournaments but will miss the Hong Kong leg of the IRB Sevens circuit due to the region’s European quarter-final against Brive. He will join the squad in Adelaide for the Australian leg of the Series.
Three players will make their Sevens debuts in Hong Kong: Pontypridd and Blues outside half Dai Flanagan, Bedwas and Dragons centre James Lewis and Wrexham-born Llanelli and Scarlets flanker Rob McCusker, who replaces the injured James Harris. Fellow Scarlet youngster, flyer Alec Jenkins, notches his third Sevens tournament of the season.
Cardiff and Blues fullback Jamie Roberts will take part in his second international Sevens tournament having travelled to George, South Africa last season, while regular Sevens tourists of last season, scrum half Wayne Evans and flanker James Merriman, will take part in their first tournaments of the season.
The rest of the squad is made up of current core Sevens squad members Tal Selley, Richard Mustoe, Lee Beach, Rhodri McAtee and Llanelli’s Jonathan Edwards, who will skipper the side leaving for Hong Kong on Monday.
Rees said: “Using international Sevens as a development tool is clearly working when you look at the likes of Aled Thomas, Tom James and Martyn Thomas. Aled Thomas was playing his rugby at Cross Keys before he came to Dubai and George in December but now he is playing regular regional rugby with the Dragons.
“In that respect, the Sevens squad is a victim of its own success but I’m sure this round of two tournaments will open doors for other players taking part.
“Jamie Roberts missed out on earlier Sevens duty this season due to injury but I’m sure this exposure will give his rugby a boost. It is perhaps the opportunity he needs to stake his claim for a place on the summer tour to Australia.
“Another player with potential is outside half Dai Flanagan. As with Aled Thomas last time round, this experience will hopefully give Dai the confidence he needs to get some regional rugby under his belt.
“It is good to see the likes of Wayne Evans and James Merriman back in the squad who will add some experience to the side.”
With five squad players in Cup or regional action this weekend, Rees will be looking on anxiously. “It’s not ideal preparation for an international Sevens tour so I will certainly be holding my breath that none of the players pick up injuries over the weekend,” he said.
“I have every confidence in Gareth Baber taking charge of the squad while I stay behind for the Dragons’ clash with Brive. Gareth is one of Wales’s most experienced Sevens players and has been assistant coach with the Sevens group for the past two seasons.
“Traditionally, everyone raises their game for the Hong Kong Sevens, but we have set ourselves a target of a top eight finish in at least one of these tournaments.
“It will be a tall order in terms of our Pools but we will certainly want to continue with the momentum of bringing a trophy back from each tournament, as we have done since our return to the Sevens circuit at the start of last season.”
Wales Sevens squad:
Jonathan Edwards (Capt, Llanelli RFC)
Lee Beach (Ospreys)
Wayne Evans (Blues)
Dai Flanagan (Blues Academy/Pontypridd RFC)
Alec Jenkins (Scarlets Academy/Llanelli RFC)
James Lewis (Dragons Academy/Bedwas RFC)
Rhodri McAtee (Penzance)
Rob McCusker (Scarlets)
James Merriman (Gloucester)
Richard Mustoe (Ospreys)
Jamie Roberts (Blues Academy/Cardiff RFC)
Tal Selley (Ospreys)
