Why the short game is worth a long look

One of the major casualties of the professional era in the northern hemisphere has been sevens rugby, and I am looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in August sparking a comeback in this valuable version of the game.

Jonah Lomu has been over here promoting the Games and, in particular, the sevens event for which he gained a gold medal when the All Blacks won it in Kuala Lumpur four years ago. It is still one of the highlights of his career, and he says he can't believe that so few nations take sevens seriously.

We certainly took it seriously when I was a young player. I loved sevens rugby and it was an integral part of the game back in those days.

The Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham, the Melrose in Scotland, the Snelling in Wales... they were all established events in the rugby calendar. The pre-season sevens in Wales, like the one at Aberavon in early August, were part of the serious build-up to the season and attracted big holiday crowds.

The Sydney Sevens was the big world event in those days, and I'll never forget when Wales sent a team in 1986. We reached the semi-finals before losing to Australia in a match we could have won, but our real claim to fame was that we beat New Zealand, the eventual winners, at the group stage.

I went on to guest in several sevens events around the world, playing alongside players like David Campese and the Ella brothers. It was a great experience, and the confidence it gave me stood me in good stead for the rest of my career.

But, despite England winning the World Sevens tournament in the mid-Nineties, we've neglected the game, and southern-hemisphere teams like the All Blacks and Fiji have dominated the stage. Few would bet against either of those winning the Commonwealth gold medal, but I firmly believe that a United Kingdom team, England especially, could take the glory from them.

The great thing about sevens is that on your day you can beat anyone. It is the sort of a game that, if things go right, you can spring a surprise that would not be possible in the 15-man game, where power is so dominant. The International Rugby Board are right to be promoting sevens around the world. Countries like Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Korea and other Asian countries are not yet ready to compete in the 15-man game because they usually lack the strength and power. In sevens they can make a mark.

Apart from anything else, sevens is great for development. We keep banging on about basic skills, and there's nothing like sevens for sharpening up those – or revealing their absence. Playing sevens also encourages individual decision-making, which is another factor we are lacking these days.

There is every reason for the home unions to consider being serious about sevens. Not much can be done in the current IRB tournament because the next event clashes with the Six Nations, but we can do well in the Games this summer.

Teams like Fiji and the All Blacks are known as sevens specialists, but that is because they play it so often. I believe that a month's preparation is enough to create a good sevens team if you have the right players.

England are well ahead of the others in the north in their sevens thinking. Joe Lydon is in charge of a squad of 25, and if he drafts in players like Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Robinson they can beat anyone. With players like Rob Howley and Iestyn Harris to call on, Wales could also be looking for a medal.

But they all need to be planning their sevens approach now – it is too good a chance to miss.