The inaugural tournament will be staged on the newly laid artificial pitch at Cardiff Arms Park, with Pontypridd taking on Neath in the opening match scheduled to kick off at 10.20am.
A veteran of the sevens code at international level, Shellard is delighted that the event has been put on the club calendar.
“It’s a great initiative by the WRU, very much a step in the right direction,” he said.
“It will give an opportunity for players at Premiership level to showcase their skills in a competitive event, maybe to hold up their hand for national selection.
“To play alongside my Pontypridd club mates is something that I’m very much looking forward to. We have been successful in the Abercynon Sevens over recent years which has been a good standard of competition.
“We’ve also been working with Darren Bool on different fitness strategies to suit the sevens game.”
In Shellard’s estimation, playing for club rather than country on this occasion will provide a different challenge.
“Playing for Wales, pulling on the red jersey, is always a pressure situation, but I predict that representing Pontypridd will be something to enjoy,” he added.
“We are being given the favourites tag in this tournament with some national squad players such as Alex Webber and Owen Jenkins likely to run out for us.
“But that will not phase us at all. It will be a case of going out in each game to enjoy the occasion, to play to the best of our ability and see where that takes us.
“If we can win another trophy at the end of the day then that will be a welcome bonus.”
Tickets are on sale now at just £10 for adults, £5 for Under 16s and £20 for a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children). Go to www.wru.co.uk/nationalsevens to purchase tickets with a free print off at home option. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 0844 8471881 (Ticketmaster) or 02920 230130 (Ticketline). Personal callers can purchase tickets from the WRU shop, 8 Westgate Street or from Ticketline, 47 Westgate Street.
