Hungary, Croatia and Israel await in Pool B as Wales seek a return to the topflight in Rugby Europe by earning promotion back to the Championship. Wales, along with England, find themselves in the Trophy Series after being relegated last year due to GB’s involvement in the Tokyo Olympics.
The second and final round of the Trophy Series will be staged in Budapest next weekend.
The squad is largely made up of players who have been competing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with two newcomers introduced to provide some fresh impetus.
Pocket rocket Kane Tear-Bourge gets his first taste of action alongside Ysgol Glantaf school boy Jac Davies.
Marine Tear-Bourge is a regular on the invitational sevens circuit with the armed forces and Welsh invitational sides while Davies was identified through Rosslyn Park 7s and Urdd tournaments and has already played for Pontypridd in the Indigo Group Premiership.
“It’s an exciting squad, we’ve got some new faces as well as some experience in the side as well to hopefully guide the new players through. There’s a nice balance of pace and power,” said Wales assistant coach Nick Wakley.
With Ireland and England also in attendance along with rising forces in Europe, promotion is the carrot being dangled in front of his side over the next two weeks.
“That’s the plan – to be at the top table in terms of Rugby Europe but with Ireland and England there, there are lots of challenges ahead,” explained Wakley. “There are also some unknowns in the group but it’s so important to be clinical and be brutal with our mentality – you’ve got to get the points as top seeds as you get a better pathway in the knockout stages then.
“We have got to go into the weekend with the target of getting into the finals and really look to put our stamp on this tournament.
“But I think all the home nations will have similar feelings but it’s nice to go into the tournament with a bit of experience and some youth. We want to win this tournament and that is our target.
“It’s going to be a challenge, there are some new faces and some very strong European teams playing and some teams we don’t know much about. It’s going to be challenge for the boys but one I think they are excited to undertake.
“We’ve had a tough couple of weeks but we’re really looking to attack this weekend with an excitement just to play. We want to gain confidence in scoring tries, play with the ball and this is a great opportunity to do just that.”
Wales 7s squad for Rugby Europe Sevens Trophy Series
Zagreb – June 11-12
Frankie Souto (Dragons)
Owen Jenkins (Dragons)
Cole Swannack (Pontypridd)
Callum Williams (Scarlets)
Lloyd Lewis (Wales 7s)
Callum Carson (Aberavon)
Morgan Williams (Wales 7s)
Tom Williams (Wales 7s)
Ewan Rosser (Dragons)
Iwan Pyrs Jones (Cardiff)
Jac Davies (Ysgol Glantaf /Pontypridd)
Kane Tear-Bourge (Royal Navy)
Pool B
Wales, Israel, Croatia, Hungary
Sat 11 June
Wales v Hungary 11.14am
Wales v Croatia 14.14pm
Wales v Israel 17.14pm
