Cory Allen has been named in Team GB Sevens training squad for the Rio Olympics.
The Cardiff Blues centre is one of five Welshmen named in the 25-man party, with the Scarlets’ James Davies and sevens specialists Luke Morgan, Luke Treharne and Sam Cross the others.
Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson said: “It’s a huge honour to be selected for the GB Sevens squad.
“Cory is a player who has proven himself in both sevens and 15s and we’re all looking forward to watching him as player.
“It will be a great experience for him in a slightly different rugby environment and we wish him all the best.”
The 25 players will gather on 30 May for a seven-week intensive training period involving a programme of four international competitions.
Team GB Sevens Head Coach Simon Amor said: “We have watched a significant amount of footage throughout the season of 15-a-side players and every sevens game from England, Scotland and Wales. Exciting talent was available to us and competition for places was tough.
“We’re now really looking forward to bringing this group together as one team and creating an incredible Great Britain spirit.
“One of the main strengths of the players who have been named today is their aggressive style of play in both attack and defence. Looking at how the games are won at the top level at the moment, it is very much about that physicality, teams who are fearless in the way they play.
“For the 15s players aiming to make that transition, recent sevens experience at the top level was important given how much the world of sevens rugby has progressed in the last three to four years.
“We were also targeting players in certain key positions to add strength in depth and complement the qualities of the specialists we already have.”
GB Sevens Men: 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)