Powys Rugby 7s star Tom Williams to take part in second Commonwealth Games this summer

Williams will take part in his second Commonwealth Games where matches will be played over three days at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, near Birmingham.

The Montgomery-raised international fly half who turned fulltime this year is joined by silver medal winning Olympian Sam Cross and fellow Gold Coast Games players Luke Treharne, Morgan Williams and Owen Jenkins.

The Sevens will be staged between July 29 and 31, during which Williams will celebrate his 26th birthday, where Wales will begin their campaign in Pool C against Fiji, Canada and Zambia.

"It is a massive honour to be selected for the Commonwealth Games; it's more of a big thing. The whole year has been leading up to the Commonwealth Games.

"Competition for a place in the team was ramped up during the last couple of weeks, and it's good to get Olympian Sam Cross back. The squad is really strong, the strongest for a long time."

The 25-year-old paid tribute to his partner and family for their support saying "this is payback for all the hard work they put into it over the years."

Tom Williams and the Wales Rugby 7s squad for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Picture by Team Wales

The former Welshpool High School pupil said he was "really pleased" that his former classmate Dan Jones has been selected as a member of the Welsh swimming squad for Birmingham 2022 after narrowly missing out on a place in the 2018 team.

"Two of us were in the same school year at Welshpool High School. Looking back, I wouldn't have thought that we'd both be competing at the Commonwealth Games together. It's cool to see him selected. I'm very much looking forward to it."

Three Welshpool High School pupils - Williams, Jones and shot put star Adele Nicoll - have all been named in Wales' Commonwealth Games squad.

WRU Head of Sevens Richie Pugh said: “It’s been a tough selection process. The squad is based mostly around boys who have been involved in our World Sevens campaign, adding the experience of Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross from the Ospreys and we’ve also kept Tyler Morgan after the Toulouse and London legs. Their pedigree certainly adds great value to the squad. There were some tough calls but that’s international sport, that’s the competitive environment we want to create.

"We’ve had some good competitions in rugby Europe recently, with players gaining quality game time in difficult conditions which bodes well.”

Wales face Canada, Fiji and Zambia in the Pool stage of the forthcoming event.

Shot put star Adele Nicoll and swimmer Dan Jones will represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games later this year. Picture by Graham Glenndenning.

Pugh, a Rugby World Cup Sevens winner with Wales added: “It’s always good to play new teams. We have a bit of a rivalry with Canada at the moment on the World Series, Fiji are familiar foes too, we know they’re world class sevens players but that’s why we do this, we want to play best in world. It all starts with Canada in our first game. They are a strong, physical team but it’s important we start well. We have one more competition before Birmingham, so hopefully we can cause some problems in our Pool.

“To have the Commonwealth Games in the UK is an exciting prospect. To play in a multi-sport event with other athletes and sports provides the players and management with a unique opportunity. I’ve been to three as a player and coach and some of the squad went to Gold Coast but it will be a new experience for many. We want to do justice to ourselves, Team Wales and Welsh rugby.

“We have come close to medalling before – we were very close in 2006 in Melbourne, we were knocked out in the quarters in Delhi and we came very close to beating Fiji in Gold Coast and medalling so we are going to be bold and aim high.”

Chris Jenkins, CEO Commonwealth Games Wales added: “The rugby sevens team have a strong and experienced side, and it’s great to finally announce our last sport in Team Wales. I can’t wait to see what they achieve in Birmingham and I’m sure they can’t wait to get started in their Commonwealth campaign.”