Wales national rugby sevens team


The Wales national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and in the Commonwealth Games.
Wales were the World Cup Sevens Champions after winning the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in the United Arab Emirates. But they relinquished that title after failing to defend their crown at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow.
The Welsh sevens squad was disbanded by the Welsh Rugby Union due to financial constraints. After a three-year absence, the Wales sevens team returned to international competition in the 2006–07 season. They competed at half of the eight tournaments and won the plate competition at each of them. They repeated this feat at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The star of the 2005–06 squad was Neath and Ospreys player James Hook. Hook has since progressed to the full Welsh national side. In 2006–07, Wales competed in the Dubai, South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, Scotland and England legs of the IRB's World Sevens Series, reaching the semi-finals of the cup at Twickenham and Murrayfield. Wales have been a core team that has competed in all legs of the IRB Sevens Series since the 2007–08 season.
At the 2016 USA Sevens, Wales beat Canada, Portugal, Scotland and France to win the Bowl final and claim 9th place.

Tournament History

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Commonwealth Games

2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens

In Wales's first ever cup final appearance in a major rugby sevens event, Wales played Argentina in the 2009 World Cup Final.
In the Group stages Wales beat Zimbabwe 31–5 and Uruguay 27–0 before losing to Argentina 14–0 in the final pool match, leaving Wales uncertain of a cup quarterfinals spot. With results going their way Wales made it to the cup quarterfinals as one of the second place qualifiers for the first time in their history.
Wales beat favourites New Zealand in the quarterfinals 15–14, and defeated Samoa in the semifinals 19–12.
Wales faced Argentina for the second time in the tournament in the Final. Wales started with the same team that played against New Zealand and Samoa earlier in the day. At half time Wales had a lead of 12–7 after tries from Richie Pugh and Tal Selley.
In the second half Argentina levelled the score at 12–12. With less than 90 seconds left, Wales's Aled Thomas scored underneath the posts and with a successful conversion put Wales into the lead at 19–12.
Argentina claimed the restart. After the siren sounded to indicate there was no time left on the clock Argentina fumbled the ball in a ruck leading to the ball being kicked out of play and Wales being crowned the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup Champions.
DayRoundOppositionScoreScorers
Day oneGroup stage31 – 5Tries: C. Hill, L. Williams, A. Brew
Conv: A. Thomas
Day twoGroup stage27 – 0Tries: R. Pugh, A. Thomas, J. Merriman, L. Beach
Conv: L. Williams
Day twoGroup stage0–14Tries:
Conv:
Day threeCup Quarterfinal15 – 14Tries: L. Williams, T. Isaacs, R. Pugh
Conv:
Day threeCup Semifinal19 – 12Tries: T. Isaacs, T. Selley, A. Brew
Conv: A. Thomas
Day threeCup Final19 – 12Tries: A. Thomas, T. Selley, R. Pugh
Conv: A. Thomas

2009 World Cup winning squad

The 12-man squad, coached by Paul John of Pontypridd, for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
PlayerClub
Rhodri McAteeCornish Pirates
Lee WilliamsScarlets
Tom IsaacsNewport Gwent Dragons
Craig HillNewport Gwent Dragons
James MerrimanUnattached
Tal SelleyNewport Gwent Dragons
Aled BrewNewport Gwent Dragons
Aled ThomasLondon Welsh
Rhys WebbOspreys
Richie PughExeter Chiefs
Dafydd HewittCardiff Blues
Lee Beach Neath

World Rugby Sevens Series record

First DayEventFinish
2007-11-30DubaiBowl semi-finalists
2007-12-07GeorgeBowl winners
2008-02-01WellingtonPlate runners-up
2008-02-09San DiegoBowl winners
2008-03-28Hong KongCup Quarter finalists
2008-04-05AdelaideBowl runners-up
2008-05-25LondonBowl runners-up
2008-05-31EdinburghCup semi-finalists

First DayEventFinish
2008-11-29DubaiBowl semi-finalists
2008-12-06GeorgeBowl semi-finalists
2009-02-07WellingtonPlate runners-up
2009-02-15San DiegoBowl semi-finalists
2009-03-29Hong KongPlate semi-finalists
2009-04-05AdelaidePlate semi-finalists
2009-05-24LondonBowl runners-up
2009-05-31EdinburghCup semi-finalists

First DayEventFinish
2009-12-04DubaiBowl winners
2009-12-11GeorgeBowl winners
2010-02-05WellingtonBowl winners
2010-02-13Las VegasPlate semi-finalists
2010-03-19AdelaidePlate semi-finalists
2010-03-26Hong KongBowl runners-up
2010-05-22LondonPlate semi-finalists
2010-05-29EdinburghBowl winners

Team

Current squad

Former squads

Squad for 2018 Commonwealth Games:
PlayerClub
Adam Thomas Cardiff Blues
Luke TreharneExeter University
Morgan WilliamsScarlets
Angus O'BrienDragons
Luke Morgan
Owen JenkinsCardiff Blues
Tom WilliamsScarlets
Ethan DaviesCross Keys
James BenjaminDragons
Justin TipuricOspreys
Hallam AmosDragons
Ben RoachDragons

Notable former players