England Sevens name 18-man squad for 2019/20

Head of England Sevens Simon Amor has named his 18-man squad for the 2019/20 season.

This term’s group boasts a blend of youth and experience and will once again contest the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series over 10 rounds.

The 2020 edition will serve as crucial build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as rugby sevens prepares to make its second appearance following a successful introduction at Rio 2016.

Tom Mitchell will once again captain the side who begin their campaign on 5 December in Dubai.

All-time leading try scorer Dan Norton is among those named in what will be his testimonial year.

Northampton Saints academy graduate Tom Emery joins full-time after impressing as a regular in the Franklin’s Gardens side’s sevens team and on his first international call-up for the 2019 HSBC London Sevens.

Will Hendy (Beechen Cliff) and Alfie Johnson (RGS Guildford) also join the England Sevens Academy from school with both players impressing in the European Lodz 7s Grand Prix, the final tournament of the 2018/19 circuit.

England ended their 2018/19 campaign by securing Olympic qualification on behalf of Great Britain despite missing a host of key personnel through injury. Youngsters Ben Harris and Jamie Barden shone.

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Barden and Femi Sofolarin have both left the programme to focus on their university studies while Ryan Olowofela has joined Northampton Saints.

Amor said: “Looking to the season ahead, it’s a big one with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the end. With six combined competitions with the women, it will be an exciting year.

“On the back of a tough 2018/19 campaign, we have a number of players rehabbing injuries at the moment. We know how big a challenge the World Series will be and our focus this year will be on getting our experienced and talented squad peaking at the end of a long season to not only earn selection for Team GB but give Team GB the best chance of becoming Olympic champions.

“We are also excited to see how Ryan progresses with Northampton Saints and feel that after a couple of years with the sevens programme, he has developed well to make a real impact in XVs.

“Jamie and Femi will both continue to be involved with the England Sevens programme while developing through the university system which we are big supporters of.”

Twickenham Stadium will again host the penultimate round of the men’s series taking place over the weekend of 23-24 May 2020.

Following a record-breaking Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco, the men’s competition will once again travel to the United States where it will be hosted in Los Angeles taking place at home of MLS side LA Galaxy and the NFL’s LA Chargers, Dignity Health Sports Park in California.

Squad list

Seniors: Dan Bibby, Tom Bowen, Phil Burgess, Alex Davis, Richard De Carpentier, Will Edwards, Mike Ellery, Harry Glover, Ollie Lindsay-Hague, Charlton Kerr, Tom Mitchell (C), Will Muir, Dan Norton, Ethan Waddleton

Academy: Tom Emery, Ben Harris, Will Hendy, Alfie Johnson