JAPAN (SEEDED 11)
Six of the players that helped Japan win the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Qualifier in Hong Kong a few months ago have been rewarded with a place in Kensuke Iwabuchi’s squad. Katsuyuki Sakai, who made his series debut back in 2010-11, along with fellow Olympian Kaemli Soejima and captain Dai Ozawa provide the bulk of the experience in the Asian champions’ 12-man party.
Japan’s only appearance on the 2018 series came in Singapore with Sakai scoring five tries, including doubles against France and Argentina, in a 13th-place finish. Tevita Tupou and Joe Kamana, born three days apart, made their series debuts during that tournament and are poised to make their Rugby World Cup Sevens debut.
Squad: Dai Ozawa, Ryoto Kano, Joe Kamana, Katsuyuki Sakai, Jone Naikabulam Jose Seru, Kameli Raravou Soejima, Tevita Tupou, Kosuke Hashino, Taisei Hayashi, Chihito Matsui, Taichi Yoshizawa, Josefa Lilidamu.
WALES (SEEDED 12)
Wales boast the second highest try-scorer on the 2018 series in Luke Morgan, who notched only four fewer than the USA’s Carlin Isles across the 10 rounds.
As well as Morgan and captain Adam Thomas, Wales include other series regulars such as Ethan Davies, Owen Jenkins, Luke Treharne, Ben Roach and Will Talbot-Davies, while the squad is further bolstered by Cardiff Blues’ Lloyd Williams and Ospreys’ Cory Allen. The duo – capped 23 and six times respectively for Wales in 15s – recently helped Wales to the Exeter Sevens quarter-finals as part of their Rugby World Cup Sevens preparations.
“This is a great culmination to our season. The World Cup has been an aim of ours for the past 18 months and we’re excited with the squad we have put together. We are building nicely towards the opening match versus Zimbabwe, and starting well against their physicality and elusiveness is a key aim of ours. The tournament structure is different but exciting, and we are eager to get out there and get things started,” said coach Gareth Williams.
Squad: Luke Treharne, Ethan Davies, Lloyd Williams, Luke Morgan, Owen Jenkins, Tom Williams, Cory Allen, Afon Bagshaw, Adam Thomas (captain), Cai Devine, Jared Rosser, Ben Roach.
IRELAND (SEEDED 16)
In selecting Jordan Conroy and Terry Kennedy, Ireland possess two of the most potent finishers around. Conroy scored 11 tries across the London and Paris rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, while Kennedy’s 16 tries have helped his team to the top of the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series standings in 2018.
Ireland, captained by Billy Dardis, go into the campaign on the back of an excellent season which has seen them finish third on their world series debut in London, as well as claiming two out of the first three Rugby Europe Grand Prix series titles. All the players selected featured in either the title wins in Moscow and Marcoussis or the bronze medal finish at Exeter last time out.
“It has been nine years since there’s been an Irish men’s team at the Rugby World Cup Sevens, and the players are really excited for the challenge that lies ahead and are keen to demonstrate the progress they have made over the last number of seasons,” said Anthony Eddy, IRFU Director of Sevens Rugby.
Squad: Robert Baloucoune, Jordan Conroy, Shane Daly, Billy Dardis (captain), Ian Fitzpatrick, Foster Horan, Hugo Keenan, Terry Kennedy, Harry McNulty, Bryan Mollen, Jimmy O’Brien, John O’Donnell, Greg O’Shea.
URUGUAY (SEEDED 18)
Long-time coach Luis Pedro Achard and his assistant, former sevens captain Ignacio Conti, head to California with a predominantly young team backed up by the experience of three survivors from the last tournament in 2013. Gastón Mieres, who appeared in Moscow five years ago and at Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, is joined by Gabriel Puig, in his second tournament as captain, and Guillermo Liejtenstein as the old heads in the 12-man squad.
While this is Nicolas Freitas’ first taste at this level, he also fits into the more experienced category. The full-time professional has been a mainstay of the Los Teros team, in sevens and 15s, for the last four years and his inclusion certainly strengthens Uruguay’s hand as they look forward to their opening game against Japan.
Uruguay’s final preparations included a training camp with the Brazilian national team in Sao José dos Campos. “It allowed us to continue oiling our game plan and getting match practice,” said Achard. “The Brazilian team really helped in all that we needed and it was a very good camp; all our players finished fit. Our goal of fine-tuning the team ahead of the World Cup was fully achieved.”
Squad: Joaquín Alonso, Diego Ardao, Manuel Ardao, Felipe Etcheverry, Nicolás Freitas, Juanjuan Garese, Valentín Grille, Guillermo Lietjenstein, Gastón Mieres, Eugenio Plottier, Gabriel Puig (captain), Sebastián Schroeder.
Courtesy World Rjugby