BRYNMAWR’S Sam Cross is dreaming of Rio after being selected in Team GB’s first squad for the Olympic rugby sevens, writes Chris Kirwan.

The 23-year-old back row forward, who plays his club rugby with Newport and was a leading figure in the Dragons’ Singha Premiership 7s triumph last summer, has been named in a 25-strong group.

Cross has consistently been one of Wales’ leading players in the World Series and in April was named in the Dream Team for the prestigious tournament in Hong Kong.

He was unlucky to miss the cut for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but responded by winning back his place in the international side and earlier this season racked up his 100th game for his country.

Cross will now target a place in the 12-strong squad for August’s competition in Brazil after being named in the extended squad alongside fellow Welshmen James Davies, Cory Allen, Luke Morgan (who also played for the Dragons in the Premiership 7s) and Luke Treharne.

“I’m over the moon to be named in the initial squad,” said Cross. “It’s a great achievement and I’m very excited to get together as a squad and begin the hard work over the summer.

“Every home nation player was targeting being selected for Team GB, it's a very special and unique opportunity at an event which is the pinnacle of sport.”

The selected 25 will gather on May 30 for a seven-week intensive training period involving a programme of four international competitions.

The final 12 will be named on July 19 after Rugby Europe Sevens Series events in Moscow, Exeter, Poland and Sevens and the City at Saracens’ Allianz Park.

“The tournaments give us an opportunity to stake a claim down for Rio and kick on in what is going to be a big few months for all of us,” said Cross.

“The boys will be looking to impress the coaches and show them what we are capable of.

“(The Olympics) would be a life-changing experience; it would be a huge honour and an opportunity to achieve something incredible but there is a long way and a lot of hard work to do up until then.”

Squad: Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Dan Bibby (England Sevens), Tom Bowen (England Sevens), Phil Burgess (England Sevens), Sam Cross (Wales Sevens), James Davies (Scarlets), Alex Davis (England Sevens), Richard de Carpentier (England Sevens), Jamie Farndale (Scotland Sevens), Alex Gray (England Sevens), Charlie Hayter (England Sevens), Warwick Lahmert (England Sevens), Ollie Lindsay-Hague (Harlequins), Gavin Lowe (Scotland Sevens), Ruaridh McConnochie (England Sevens), Tom Mitchell (England Sevens), Luke Morgan (Wales Sevens), Dan Norton (England Sevens), Scott Riddell (Scotland Sevens), Mark Robertson (Scotland Sevens), James Rodwell (England Sevens), Joe Simpson (Wasps), Luke Treharne (Wales Sevens), Marcus Watson (Newcastle Falcons)