Dai Rees will coach Wales 7s team and they have become a core member of the IRB Sevens Series.
The WRU have been accepted by the International Rugby Board as a core member of the IRB Sevens World Series and will participate in all eight tournaments next season.
Wales joins New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, South Africa, England, Australia, France, Scotland, Argentina, Kenya and Canada as one of the Series' 12 core teams.
The Wales Sevens side has enjoyed a successful return to the international circuit in the past two seasons, picking up eight trophies and two top four finishes from ten tournaments, the semi-final places at London and Edinburgh at the end of last season taking Wales to sixth place in the world rankings and ensuring them top four seeding at the first two tournaments of next season, in Dubai and George, South Africa.
Wales Sevens coach Dai Rees will, for the first time hold regular training sessions for potential Wales Sevens squad members, aimed to hone in on the skills and conditioning needed in the international Sevens arena.
Rees will again hope to utilise some of the experience gained by regular Wales Sevens players over the past two years, such as Lee Beach, Wayne Evans, Rhodri McAtee and recent captain Jonathan Edwards, while this Sevens season will be used to bolster the experience and rugby nous of young guns such as flanker James Harris, full back Martyn Thomas and wing Alec Jenkins.
Rees said, "Our aim is to help develop players' skill and confidence levels so that they become better players for their regions.
"Players such as Tal Selley and Aled Thomas have clearly benefited from the exposure of the international Sevens circuit, climbing the regional ladder as a direct consequence.
"Then you have the likes of Tom James, Jamie Roberts and Martyn Thomas who were exposed to Sevens rugby for the first time last season and clearly grew in rugby terms as a result.
"The next crop of elite, young players who could benefit from international Sevens this season could include current Under 20 players such as Jimmy Norris, Sam Warburton and Luke Ford.
"The exposure these players gain on and off the field in this international arena is priceless."
WRU Elite Performance Manager Mostyn Richards has been at the forefront of Wales' return to the IRB Sevens circuit. Richards said "Sevens serves as an important element of our development pathway, acting as a finishing school for some of our elite, young players, with players improving in skill and guile from the space of the truncated game, and gaining confidence from playing in front of as many as 50 000 supporters at established Sevens venues such as Hong Kong and Dubai."
"The Welsh Rugby Union is delighted to be able to showcase its young talent on the world stage again and we are extremely excited about the forthcoming season"
Beth Coalter, IRB Sevens World Series Director claimed Wales will prove a valued addition to the circuit:
"The IRB is delighted that Wales will compete in the series as a core team in 2007/08.
"Wales proved to be a competitive package last season, entertaining along the way and claiming some notable scalps, while also unearthing some extremely talented players. Wales's commitment to the Series further underlines the increasing value that Unions place in the IRB Sevens World Series as a key player development tool and the IRB looks forward to seeing Wales in action across all eight tournaments in 2007/08."
IRB Sevens World Series dates 2007/08:
• Dubai - Nov 30/Dec 1
• South Africa - Dec 7/8
• New Zealand - Feb 1/2
• USA - Feb 9/10
• Hong Kong - Mar 28/29/30
• Australia- Apr 5/6
• England - May 24/25
• Scotland - May 31/Jun 1
