The 2012 Grand Slam and 2013 Championship winner was spotted playing for Wales on the World Series circuit and fast-tracked into the Cardiff Blues and then Wales set-up. Now he will be talent spotting when the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series kicks-off at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park on 22 July.
And the 26-year-old, who missed the Wales tour to New Zealand this summer because of injury, is urging the youngsters in the Blues squad to make the most of their opportunity to shine when they face the three other Welsh Regions in the qualifying tournament for the main competition that was won so impressively by the Dragons last season.
“Sevens rugby was awesome for me, it was the first serious senior rugby I had as a youngster. I was going from playing for Cardiff RFC to playing for Wales in Dubai against South Africa – the step-up was immense and the experience I gained from that was unbelievable,” admitted the man who has scored 15 tries in 42 appearances for Wales.
“I had a great couple of years on the World Series and I love playing in pre-season when I can. It was perfect for me in all aspects of the game, you can just transfer the skills from one to the other.
“It’s extremely important that those simple skills, passing 20 yards, seeing space as a winger and having the footwork and the gas to go around someone. In the 15-a-side game, there is not so much space, but when you are in that closed environment and you need to put that pass away, make a tackle or go around someone, you see that in the 7s.”
It was when he was playing for UWIC and Cardiff RFC that the then Wales Sevens coach Paul John spotted Cuthbert’s talent. He threw him in at the deep end and Cuthbert played for Wales in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 IRB Sevens World Series and at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
That exposure not only put him into the Welsh system, but earned him a contract at the Blues and put him on track for international honours at the highest level of the game.
“You get found out a lot more in 7s because there is so much space, but coaches can see those skills in young players playing 7s. We have had Cory Allen a couple of years ago and he is obviously still involved in that 7s environment with Great Britain and, hopefully, he’ll get selected for the Olympics,” he added.
“He has come on leaps and bounds since getting his caps for Wales and playing during the World Cup, he is a key figure here at the Blues. There are a couple of younger boys who are hopefully going to get into that squad, then push on into the first XV at Cardiff and become future internationals.”
After kicking-off at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series continues in Exeter, Northampton and Newcastle before the end of the month where the top two teams in each Pool will advance. The Series Final set to be played at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday, 7 August.
For tickets and details visit premiershiprugby.com/singha7stickets
