HALLAM Amos is ready for a crash course in sevens and hopes the Commonwealth Games with Wales can help him break back into the Test team.

The 23-year-old Dragons speedster will be chasing a medal at the Gold Coast Games on the weekend of April 14 after being named in a 12-strong squad that also features Lions flanker Justin Tipuric.

Amos hasn’t played sevens since taking part in the Rugby Europe series when he was a teenage pupil at Monmouth School.

But the 15-times capped international jumped at the chance to represent his country in the rapid game.

“I remember in the Olympics watching ‘Cubby’ (James Davies) and a couple of other 15s boys playing and I thought that I’d love to do it,” said Amos.

“I knew the Commonwealth Games was in a couple of years and that it would be cracking to get involved in it but didn’t really think about it, then a text came from (coach) Gareth Williams.

“He spoke to Bernard Jackman (Dragons coach), who was brilliant and said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and to go for it. Warren Gatland was the same.

“Everyone has been very supportive and I am looking forward to it.”

Amos will miss the Dragons’ Guinness PRO14 encounters with Benetton and Zebre in Italy but hopes some tricks of the sevens trade will help on his return.

“It does make you focus on core skills, your tackling in the open field and beating a man one on one,” he said.

“It’s definitely going to help with that in my 15s game.

“When I played before I found that when you were fresh you could do something and have a crack at beating your opposite man, but when you are six minutes into a half and you haven’t had a breather then it’s tough.

“That’s what I’ll have to get used to.

“It’s a completely different game and I’ve spoken to Rob Howley and ‘Gats’ about how it will be great for fitness and great just to get a bit of space that we don’t see on a wet night at Rodney Parade.

“Sevens is a higher standard than I played back in the day.

“I will look back at that but I am kind of learning from scratch because it’s been so long.”

Amos enjoyed a superb autumn series with Gatland’s men, playing in all four Tests and scoring against Australia and Georgia, but a Boxing Day ankle injury against Cardiff Blues saw him drop down the pecking order.

He was a member of the Six Nations squad but didn’t feature with Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Liam Williams, Steff Evans, Josh Adams and Gareth Anscombe getting chances in the back three.

“It was frustrating but that’s rugby sometimes,” he added.

“I got a shot in the autumn because of injury and it’s just one of those things.

“I’ve got an exciting couple of months ahead with the Commonwealth Games then Judgement Day then hopefully a summer tour.

“I’ve never been to America or South America so it would be a great one to go on.

“I don’t know if they are going to rest any of the back three.

“Leigh will have played a lot of rugby by then so maybe him, but if I got a shot at a matchday jersey again I’d hopefully take my chance.”