Dragons wing George Gasson believes he is reaping the benefits of a full season on the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Gasson is part of the Wales set-up for this weekend’s world-famous Hong Kong Sevens tournament.
If the past two injury-struck seasons have been frustrating for the 22-year-old, he seems to have regained his confidence having been selected by head coach Richie Pugh in his squad for the past four tournaments.
“This season is my first proper season with the boys. I feel I’m improving my game each tournament, and with that your confidence grows as well. After missing a lot of game time with a few injuries, sevens has allowed me lot of ball-in-hand time, taking people on – things that are crucial in my position.
“It’s such a fast game, which suits me as a wing, but it’s also really physical. The contact area is huge in sevens. Over the last few weeks it’s really improved my game, such as being a jackaling threat over the ball, which I’d never really think of doing in 15s before.”
Gasson also has high hopes for his home region, Dragons, and believes it’s only a matter of time before they start building momentum. “We’ve had a lot of success at age-grade level, with our U18s winning the regional championship recently, so it’s just a case of bringing them through in the coming seasons.
“There’s a good bunch of boys at Dragons. I enjoy being there, learning a lot from the senior players, particularly the back-three guys such as Zane Kirchner and Hallam Amos, who really look after the youngsters.”
Gwent is renowned for being a hotbed of rugby talent, and it was at Bedwas that Gasson learnt some of the game’s most valuable lessons. “I’m from Caerphilly, so the club is local to me. I was with them from a young age, 16-17, which gave me a good taste of senior rugby that has benefited me a lot.”
From the Bridge Field to Hong Kong Stadium, Gasson is excited about what the future holds for him. “I want to finish this sevens season well with Wales, then the aim is to have a good pre-season with Dragons and see where it goes from there.”
Wales’ Hong Kong fixtures: England v Wales (11:31 GMT, Friday), USA v Wales (05:25, Saturday). Wales v Spain (08:44, Saturday). Live on Sky Sports.
I feel I’m improving my game each tournament, and with that your confidence grows as well. After missing a lot of game time with a few injuries, sevens has allowed me lot of ball-in-hand time, taking people on – things that are crucial in my position...
