SAM Cross has unveiled the new players' lounge at his hometown club Brynmawr RFC named in his honour after his silver winning exploits at the Rio Olympics.

The 23-year-old was a member of the Team GB squad that finished second in the men's rugby sevens in August.

Brynmawr have marked the achievement in their clubhouse, a move that is appreciated by Cross after he came through the ranks with the Pirates.

"The club have been fantastic to me throughout my rugby career and to see what they have done since coming back from the Olympics is quite overwhelming," said the 23-year-old.

"The transformation of the room is incredible and to have my own bar in a club I grew up in and which is very close to my heart is surreal," he said.

"My father captained the club, my brothers currently play for here alongside my cousin. I played here and it really is a family club and I can't thank the chairman Anthony Apperley and the committee enough for what they have done for me, not just with the bar but throughout my career."

Cross is now preparing to make his return to action in the red of Wales when the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series kicks on in Dubai in December.

The format has changed this season with the traditional Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield format on the men's series replaced by two competitions.

The top two teams in each pool will progress to the Cup competition and the chance to win a gold medal, while lower ranked teams will contest a new Challenge Trophy competition.

The restructure means that each series event will climax with the 13th-place positional play-off, followed by the Challenge Trophy (ninth place), the fifth place play-off, bronze medal match and the gold medal match (Cup winners).

In the 12-team women's series, the top two teams along with the two best third-place finishers will progress to the Cup competition, while the other four teams will play off for the Challenge Trophy, replacing the Bowl competition.