Wales v Georgia: Seven or 15 is a numbers game for Wales' Sam Cross

Sam Cross (left) was a second-half substitute for Wales against Australia

Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross a still has an eye on sevens as he prepares to make his second appearance for Wales in 15-a-side rugby.

When Cross, 25, takes the field against Georgia for his first international start he will have played as many games for Wales as he has for Ospreys.

But the Commonwealth Games in April 2018 and Sevens World Cup in July are also a consideration, he says.

"That is still on the radar," he confirmed.

"Yeah it is a big year for Sevens, with the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup (in San Francisco).

"But if you get a chance to play 15-a-side for your country… sevens was always my pathway to get back into 15s.

"It has all happened a bit quicker than I expected."

Injuries opened door for Cross

Injuries with Wales and Ospreys have opened the door for Cross in the long-form of the game ahead of his own schedule.

A fixture in the Wales Sevens team and part of the GB team that won silver at the Rio Olympics, Cross was invited by Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy to join their first team squad this season.

He made an unexpected debut after Justin Tipuric withdrew at the last-minute at title-holders Saracens in the European Champions Cup in October.

Sam Cross (second from right) on the Olympic podium with Team GB in Rio.

More injuries meant he ended up on the wing and scored a memorable try.

An injury crisis in Wales' back-row which sees Sam Warburton, Ellis Jenkins, Tipuric and Scarlets' James Davies - another silver-medallist at Rio - all sidelined still did not stop eyebrows being raised when Cross was included in Gatland's autumn international squad.

Cross himself is surprised.

"The plan was always to come back [to 15-a-side]", he said.

"My big target was the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, so after this season the plan was always to go back to 15s.

"My opportunity at the Ospreys came slightly earlier - Steve Tandy rang me up and said he was interested to have a look at me.

"I came in and injuries went my way. I had a start for the Ospreys sooner than I thought I would, and from there he said he wanted to keep me for the rest of the season."

That could mean a dilemma in April, 2018 when Cross would have been expected to lead the Wales Sevens team at the Commonwealth Games, but which will find Ospreys still embroiled in Pro14 matches.

Men of Sevens: Cooper, Habana, Sonny Bill and Ioane

Cross says crossing codes is possible, with high-profile southern hemisphere players proving the point.

"I have played a lot of international rugby on the sevens circuit against top international players," he added.

"If you look at what the likes of Rieko Ioane has done - he was a regular on the sevens circuit, but has come in and was one of [New Zealand's] top players on the Lions (British and Irish Lions) tour.

"That is a credit to the strength of the sevens circuit at the moment. Quade Cooper, Bryan Habana, Sonny Bill Williams - they have all played sevens in the last 12 months, so you can transfer those skills over.

"Rugby is rugby. There are a lot of similar things in the games.

"Maybe it is a bit more open in sevens, but fitness comes into it.

"Fitness is a big strength of my game. I am a bit different from your normal seven - I like to get my hands on the ball.

Wales' inexperience v rugged Georgia pack

"Ball skills are one of my main strengths, running, offloading.

"That suits the way Warren Gatland and Rob Howley want to play, an open game-plan.

"You saw glimpses of what we are trying to do last week."

But before that Cross and an inexperienced Wales pack have to deal with Georgia, who bullied Canada in a 54-22 win last week and have a fearsome reputation at scrum and line-out.

"They are a big physical pack. They are strong at the set-piece," added Cross.

"We have an exciting side, it is maybe a bit inexperienced, but I think that it is exciting."