Brynmawr's Cross still in an Olympic dreamland after a stunning silver and mixing with megastars in Rio

With a silver Olympic medal hanging around his neck, it's fair to say that the pledge made by Sam Cross after earning selection for the extended training squad in June has paid off.

At the start of the summer the 23-year-old from Brynmawr was fairly well known on the HSBC Sevens World Series circuit and in the Principality Premiership, where he played for Newport RFC, but not greatly beyond that.

Things changed a touch when over three nights in August he was part of a GB team that upset the odds to finish second at the men's 7s in Rio.

The enormity of that achievement – the Brits were flung together this summer to face teams who had grown together over seasons on the circuit – is only just sinking in, along with the Olympics experience.

Mixing with golf superstar Justin Rose in the gym, watching one of his tennis heroes Novak Djokovic warming up with Boris Becker, glancing over in the food hall to see Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps (a combined tally of 31 golds).

"The village was amazing," he said. "There was such a buzz around the place, especially within the GB camp with people coming up to us and congratulating us on how we had played.

"There were a lot of medals in the building as well, so there was a really good atmosphere.

"In July I didn't know whether I would be going to the Olympics so it would have been an amazing experience whatever, but to win a medal was just surreal."

Cross made the final cut for the squad along with fellow Welshman James Davies, a pair of Scots and eight Englishmen.

GB were underdogs after having to come together so swiftly but there was always a quite confidence within the camp, according to the back row forward.

"When we came together 10 weeks beforehand we said that with the talent we had in the room we could easily win the gold medal if we gelled together," he said.

"That took a while and we played a few Rugby Europe Grand Prix tournaments and things didn't really go right; we played a bit as individuals rather than as a team.

"It was only in Belo Horizonte a week before Rio that it clicked. We were finishing sessions and were talking about how things were coming together and that we were looking good.

"That meant we went to Rio with confidence and the first game against Kenya went brilliantly, so things went from there."

The men also took inspiration from their female teammates, who also did magnificently only to lose to New Zealand in the semi-finals and Canada in the bronze match.

"We were on the same floor as the women and to see what they did and the performances that they put in really inspired us," said Cross.

"There was heartbreak for them and a few decisions went against them but what they achieved gave us the confidence to back up their efforts."

Whereas the women were edged out in tight tussles, the men enjoyed the rub of the green in a fiercely competitive competition that gripped other nations on rugby's return to the Games.

"It was just one of those tournaments when everything went our way until the last game," said Cross.

"We got off to a great start against Kenya, then Japan missed a last-minute kick that would have got them a draw and then we just held on against New Zealand.

"Argentina missed a kick in front of the posts then we won it in the quarter-final and it was tense holding on for the (7-5) win against South Africa.

"There were so many 50/50 games and the bounce of the ball was going our way."

Alas, it wasn't tight in the final with Fiji romping to a 43-7 victory to secure the country's first ever Olympic medal and spark wild scenes back home.

That Fijian joy, combined with the nature of GB's build-up, meant there were no regrets.

"We were almost written off beforehand," said Cross. "Not many people gave us a chance so to get a silver after so little preparation was great; imagine what we could do with a season on the circuit behind us.

"If someone had offered a silver before the Games we would have taken it because of the quality of the other teams there and it was great to see what gold meant to Fiji.

"When they are in that mood they are unplayable and they have been the best team in the World Series over the past two years.

"Seeing the scenes when they returned home was amazing, you can see what sevens means to Fiji."

After turning from athlete to cheerleader for a few days in Rio, Cross headed home where he was greeted by celebration banners, parties and handshakes as he shopped in Brynmawr Asda.

It's been almost a year of non-stop rugby for the forward so an upcoming holiday to Ibiza is much-needed – although a potential reunion with the ebullient 'Cubby boi' James Davies on the White Isle may mean another rest and recuperation break is required – and then it will be back on the circuit.

Dubai in December, swiftly followed by Cape Town Teammates will turn back into rivals but, as Lions tell you, there will always be a bond between the class of 2016.

"We were a close-knit group on and off the field. Everyone bought into it and there were no barriers – English, Scottish and Welsh, we all got on really well," said Cross.

"It will be weird in Dubai having shared the most incredible experience with players to then be lining up against them in the tunnel in derby matches.

"We will look back in years to come and we will always have that close bond after going through that experience together.

"We were one team and now we are friends for life."