Commonwealth Games 2022: Wales name Sam Cross and Tyler Morgan in Sevens squad

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Sam Cross trains with Team GBImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sam Cross was part of the Team GB Sevens squad who were beaten by Fiji in the 2016 Olympic final

Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross has been named in a 13-man Wales Sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games.

Ospreys back row Cross, 29, helped Team GB finish as sevens runners-up at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Recent sevens recruit and Cross' fellow 15-a-side international Tyler Morgan is also included.

Luke Treharne, Morgan Williams, Tom Williams and Owen Jenkins are included having been part of the squad who came seventh at the last Commonwealth Games.

Morgan was given his sevens chance after being released by Scarlets at the end of the 2021-22 season.

The sevens will be staged at Coventry Stadium between July 29-31.

Wales are in Pool C alongside Fiji, Canada and Zambia.

Wales Sevens head coach Richie Pugh said selection was "a tough process".

As he looked forward to the Games, Pugh added: "We've been working with the regions with availability for some of the players, and we've also been working hard as a young group with the World Series.

"It's exciting now we've got the group together. To bring in the likes of Tyler Morgan and Sam Cross with his experience, it's a huge boost for the squad, we're excited by that and we're looking forward to competing."

Pugh says the Birmingham Games is "not as glamorous as the Gold Coast [Games in 2018], but for me it's special, it's a chance for friends, family to support the players and see them represent team Wales. My family will be up there, so it's a great occasion".

Pugh added: "I want to be bold, I want to go there and win a medal, something we haven't done before in a team sport for rugby, let's go there and have the aspirations of doing that. We're definitely good enough on our day so there's no reason we can't do that.

"We have come close to medalling before - we were very close in 2006 in Melbourne, we were knocked out in the quarters in Delhi and we came very close to beating Fiji in Gold Coast and medalling, so we are going to be bold and aim high."

Cross is looking forward to representing Wales at sevens after his GB experiences.

"To finally get the chance to represent Wales at a major tournament is really exciting… as a proud Welshman [getting to play for Wales not GB this time] it's that extra bit special," he said.

Cross also says he is "getting there" in terms of recovery from an injury suffered in January for Ospreys.

He added: "Obviously coming back [from] 15s to sevens, that re-adjustment [and] remembering how hard it actually was, I'm finding my lung and legs at the moment!

"But I'm really excited for it, I'm grateful to the Ospreys for giving me this opportunity, and it's been really good for my return to play [protocols after injury]."

Wales Commonwealth Games Sevens squad: Luke Treharne (Wales Sevens), Tyler Morgan (Unattached), Morgan Sieniawski (Wales Sevens), Sam Cross (Ospreys), Tom Brown (Wales Sevens), Callum Williams (Scarlets), Owen Jenkins (Unattached), Tom Williams (Wales Sevens), Morgan Williams (Wales Sevens), Cole Swannack (Newport), Lloyd Lewis (Wales Sevens), Ewan Rosser (Dragons), Callum Carson (Aberavon)

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