Tries from Ben Roach, Owen Jenkins and a brace from Ethan Davies ensured a 24-5 win against the Russians. Following that result came a breathless 21-19 defeat of Japan, with Davies not only scoring again, but his metronomic boot the difference between the two sides. Tries also came from Luke Morgan and Adam Thomas.
“I’m very pleased with ending the tournament with two wins,” said head coach Gareth Williams. “It’s nothing more than the boys deserve. It’s been a disappointing weekend from a results perspective, but positive from a development point of view.”
The Wales Sevens pathway has seen young players brought in to boost their development by giving them invaluable exposure to a high performance environment, and Williams is pleased with the results. “We exposed Owen Lane to a huge amount of World Series rugby, and Owen Jenkins captained the team for the successful last day,” Williams said.
On his return from a long-term injury, Luke Morgan wasted no time in rediscovering his appetite for scoring tries – another boost for the team as they head to the next stage of the competition in Canada.
“Ben Roach was also superb in a relatively new position on the wing,” said Williams. “It is amazing, after disappointing results, to be going into a team review with so many positive pictures to be able to use and move forward towards Vancouver.”
Vancouver Sevens takes place on 11th-12th March, with Wales competing in Pool B with Fiji, Argentina and Samoa. More info here.
