SEVENS boss Gareth Williams believes "explosive" Dragons ace Hallam Amos can help turn Wales into golden boys at the Commonwealth Games.

The international full-back/wing has been named in the 12-man squad for the Gold Coast along with Rodney Parade teammates Angus O'Brien and James Benjamin plus Pontypool's Ethan Davies.

Lions and Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric has also got the call for next month's tournament that pits Wales against Olympic champions Fiji with only the pool winners progressing to the knockout stages.

Amos, 23, hasn't played sevens since being involved in Rugby Europe tournaments as a teenager but Williams believes the 15-times capped speedster has the attributes to be a star in Australia.

"I can't wait to see the damage that Hallam will do running in space out there – he will be explosive in that situation," said the head coach.

"He is a big boy and the sevens game has evolved, look at the World Series and it's really physical with the top team, South Africa, basing their game on that.

"Hallam can play wing and centre for us with his attributes and skill set, while his physicality could even lend itself to the forwards as well.

"He has performed on the big stage with the Dragons and internationally, while Justin has Six Nations titles and Grand Slams, Lions caps and has played in huge occasions, so that big-game mentality gives a huge boost.

"We want to be in a position to challenge for those medals and we have the pinnacle of the sevens game in Fiji. There's a lot of pressure on the group stage but we want to be in the hunt for medals.

"We've had some good battles with Fiji over the years and they are the form side in the World Series having won two of the last three tournaments, so it's going to be a great challenge."

It's also World Cup year in sevens with the tournament taking place in Los Angeles in July but Amos' availability will depend on Warren Gatland's needs for the June Tests against South Africa and Argentina.

"We will pick up those discussions over the next month because there is a summer tour and those plans play a huge part in the build-up to the (15-a-side) World Cup in 2019," said Williams.

Fly-half O'Brien is called up after being a regular for Wales in the World Rugby Sevens Series while flanker Benjamin returns to the shortened format after featuring prominently last season.

Ben Roach, a WRU-contracted sevens specialist who played nine times in the Dragons' back row this season, is selected along with playmaker Davies, who has overcome knee and ankle injuries to get the nod.

Amos and Benjamin will miss the region's Guinness PRO14 dates with Benetton and Zebre in Italy while they compete at the Games but will be available for the season finale against the Scarlets at Judgement Day.

Wales have been drawn against world number two nation Fiji, Uganda and Sri Lanka in the group stages on Saturday, April 14 with the knockout stages the following day.

Players from Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets were not considered because of their European quarter-finals against Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup and La Rochelle in the Champions Cup respectively.

Wales: Luke Treharne, Morgan Williams, Angus O'Brien, Luke Morgan, Owen Jenkins, Tom Williams, Ethan Davies, James Benjamin, Adam Thomas, Justin Tipuric, Hallam Amos, Ben Roach