Welsh team manager John Ryan yesterday bemoaned the timing of the Rugby World Cup Sevens after four key players pulled out due to injuries sustained during Saturday's Five Nations defeat to England.
Legendary full-back Jonathan Davies, fly-half Neil Jenkins, centre Scott Gibbs and scrum-half Robert Howley were forced to pull out of the World Cup Sevens squad after the England game in Cardiff.
Ryan said that the withdrawals were a setback to Welsh hopes in the tournament, but on a positive note, provides several youngsters with a chance to taste international competition.
'We would have rated our chances with our original squad,' said Ryan yesterday. 'But now, if we get to the quarter-finals we will be happy.
'What it has done is give some of the young players an opportunity to show what they can do. These players are the future of Welsh rugby.
'I think what this shows is that the timing of the tournament, or even the Hong Kong Sevens every year, is wrong for us in the Northern Hemisphere, and even the Southern Hemisphere countries. We played a Five Nations game on Saturday and arrived in Hong Kong on the Monday.' Wales have drafted in Jamie Ringer, Kevin Morgan, Gareth Wyatt and Dafydd James to replace the injured foursome.