Wales ended the IRB Sevens World Series on a high note with back-to-back semi finals in London and Edinburgh, a record coach Dai Rees wants to see repeated on a regular basis in 2007/08 following their confirmation as a core team.
The semi final losses brought to an end Wales’ impressive record of winning trophies in the last eight events they had played in the popular Series, but heralded the next step for Rees with a 21-14 defeat of Fiji in Edinburgh a sign of the progress his side have made.
Their strong finish to the Series meant Wales finished sixth in the standings – they also won the Plate titles in George and Hong Kong and the Bowl in Adelaide – and reaffirmed what a great tool Sevens is in the development of the next generation of players.
“I think in the last two years, being part-timers on the circuit with the reintroduction during the Commonwealth Games year, has generated an interest within the Union and made them realise that it is a great development tool,” Rees told Total Rugby Radio.
Unrivalled intensity
“With the likes of James Hook, Aled Brew and Chris Czekaj coming through the system and getting into the full international team, along with a number of guys now a la Tal Selley who have managed to resurrect regional contracts in the 15-a-side code, they see the transference and development structure being a key development process within the game in Wales.”
For his part Rees is in no doubt whatsoever as to the benefits that up and coming players gain from playing in the highly competitive IRB Sevens World Series, which witnessed another record breaking season in 2006/07.
“I have been lucky enough to be involved in age group rugby, Under 19 World Cups, Under 21 World Cups, the recent Under 20 and now the Sevens and there is no doubt about it that the intensity that is placed physically and mentally on the players, it can’t be duplicated in any of the other development environments.
“You take a number of the tournaments now, like Dubai with 30-40,000 people, Hong Kong 40-50,000 and you see the circuit increasing and the intensity of playing in front of large crowds on a two-day tournament.
“The recovery process is tough and it also exposes the skills of the players, so it is a superb pressurised world class environment to develop top quality players for the professional game.”
Springboard for success
What then does the future hold for Wales, now that they have joined champions New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, England, South Africa, France, Australia, Argentina, Kenya, Scotland and Canada as one of the 12 core teams that play all eight events?
“It took us two years really, the two years on the circuit to establish a bank of players that were experienced and I have always documented that although we were winning trophies in the first eight, I always wanted to finish in the top eight and top four and make semi finals,” admitted Rees.
“What we achieved ironically, probably gave us the springboard in the last tournament not bringing back a trophy, but gave us a sixth position finish and a springboard for the Union to pursue the core membership.
“We have put ourselves under pressure now and we have got to ensure that we are finishing in the top eight in the majority if not all the eight tournaments next year.”
Listen to the interview with Dai Rees on this week's Total Rugby Radio!
