As he prepares for a return to the Ospreys this season, Wales sevens sensation Luke Morgan says he’s a “totally different player” to the teenager who previously spent time with his home region.
The 26-year old from Bridgend was confirmed on Monday as the eighth addition to the Ospreys squad for next season and will report to Llandarcy Academy of Sport later this month following his involvement in the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco this weekend.
Having represented the Ospreys at age-grade level and making one Anglo Welsh Cup appearance for the region before embarking on a sevens career, it marks a welcome and hard earned return to the 15 a side game for a player who has established himself as one of the world’s leading finishers in the shortened version.
With 131 tries from 202 matches in the World Sevens Series, along with a further 10 from two appearances at the Commonwealth Games, Morgan is Wales record try – and points – scorer in sevens.
“It’s great to be given this opportunity” said the former Bridgend Athletic winger.
“I’m excited about the prospect of joining up with the Ospreys again later this month and doing my best. It’s my home region and hopefully I’ll take the chance I’ve been given.
“I’m going back there a totally different player to the one who was there as a teenager, someone who has played at the top of the sevens game and shown consistently what I can do in the sport.
“The skills I can bring with me, speed, agility and finishing, can be used in the right way for the Ospreys. Yes, I’ve been away from fifteens for a few years now so that’ll be the first challenge for me, getting back up to speed with the technical and tactical side of the game and relearning parts of it. I’ll be straight into it after the World Cup in San Francisco this weekend and can’t wait to get started. Hopefully, I’ll be up and running straight away.”
We're hoping that we'll see some of this from @lukeymogz @LibertyStadium in the coming season! ?
— Ospreys (@ospreys) July 16, 2018
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At the Ospreys, Morgan will again team up with Sam Cross, his former Wales Sevens colleague, who linked with the Ospreys from the national set-up in a similar fashion last summer. Having watched Olympic silver medalist Cross make a big impact, over the course of the season, playing Champions Cup rugby and gaining full international honours, Morgan says that it is clear the pathway is working.
“Crossy came through the same pathway as me, via sevens, and has gone on to do really well with the Ospreys. It shows that there is a real opportunity for boys to come through the sevens to prove themselves and go on to reach the best level of the fifteen a side game, with a region and in Sam’s case, with the national team.”
With his focus firmly on international action this weekend, Morgan revealed that Ospreys Head Coach, Allen Clarke, has been in touch ahead of the big tournament in the States.
“We’ve spoken and he sent me a message on Monday morning wishing me good luck for the weekend” said Morgan.
“He said that he was looking forward to working with me when I come into the Ospreys. It’s an exciting opportunity for me personally and professionally so I want to finish on a high this weekend with Wales Sevens and then look ahead to the next challenge. I’m confident I can take this chance.”
