WALES sevens international Ethan Davies is still dreaming of the Gold Coast after fearing his Commonwealth Games hopes had been dashed by injury.

The 23-year-old from Pontypool is on the comeback trail after suffering a blow to his knee on the World Rugby Sevens Series.

A tackle against Australia in the final game of the Cape Town tournament left Davies down on the turf and fearing the worst for April's Commonwealth Games and July's World Cup in San Francisco.

"I went for a tackle and the boy's leg swung round and took my knee out, as soon as I went down I was thinking 'God, no' because this is the one season that you don't want an injury in," said playmaker Davies, who has played 107 games on the international circuit.

"It's the most serious injury that I've ever had and it was a massive worry. It was 90 per cent torn and they didn't have to operate.

"I was so relieved, people were coming up and saying they were gutted for me but I was thinking that it could have been a lot worse.

"Fingers crossed I will be back for Vegas and Vancouver (in March), I am on the right track and rehab is going well.

"It's a big season for sevens and competition is pretty tough, so hopefully I can find a bit of form to get selected.

"Even just thinking about being at the Commonwealth Games is amazing. It wouldn't have crossed my mind a few years ago when I was released by the Dragons."

Davies' exploits on the sevens circuit earned a Welsh Rugby Union contract and the fly-half/full-back is now at home in the shorter format.

"I feel that I have established myself as a sevens player now and I feel comfortable in the environment," he said.

"It's a totally different game strategically and when I was learning it I didn't feel I could speak up in team meetings. Now I am more confident and that I am part of the squad, growing into my role.

"I'm a distributor… the rest of the boys call me slow! My role is reading the game, seeing the spaces and putting the fast boys into them. I enjoy doing that and I'll let them take the plaudits for scoring the tries!"

And the structure of the sevens season even allowed Davies to put a smile on the face of his grandfather Keith when he turned out for Pooler last autumn.

"It was for a bit of match sharpness towards the end of a long pre-season," he said. "I wanted a bit of a hit out before the season.

"I've played for pretty much every other Gwent side so I thought it was only fair to play for my local club Pontypool. It was nice and it definitely made my grandad proud."

Davies is now aiming to get the nod for the Commonwealth Games where Wales have been drawn against Fiji, Uganda and Sri Lanka.