'I don't think from the outside you would be able to tell we are from 3 different nations'
Rugby Sevens has everything a sporting fan could ever need. The pace is so fast that if you blink, you stand to miss out on all the action.
Although the competition was thrown into potential disarray when fans found out they would have to pay for a subscription service to watch all matches, the tournament has since stepped up to deliver some edge-of-your-seat-style rugby in the men’s competition.
Ahead of Team GB’s women’s matches, I caught up with England Rugby’s Helena Rowland in Tokyo. This year’s format sees twelve teams involved in the competition. These teams are split into three pools, which each include four teams. Team GB have been placed in Pool A alongside New Zealand, Russia and Kenya.
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Speaking on the teams’ preparations, Helena said: “We know what they are going to bring so all of our prep has been going towards how we play against them, and how we can be most effective.”
The Team GB squad spans a vast array of experienced players, including a few more experienced hands who have competed at the last Olympic games. This year’s team will be co-captained by Meg Jones and Abbie Brown, both of whom have strong leadership qualities.
Anyone who plays rugby will know the bonds with your teammates extend far beyond your time together on the pitch. In fact, the game is known for its ability to bring diverse groups of people together, providing players with friendships they will often carry for life.
“We are trying to be a squad as much as we can in our down time, as well as being on the pitch, because it’s only going to help us when we play. If you get on well as a team off the pitch you know that you will have true friends who will have your back on the pitch.”
The squad have been taking this seriously, passing time in the Olympic Village by creating TikTok’s together, and playing ‘Tuk Tuk’ a board game which one of the Scottish players introduced to the set up. Helena smirked: ‘We play that game at least once a day, we are all addicted!’
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Due to the pandemic, most premier 15s matches were played with little to no crowds, which Helena argues has prepared them for the Olympic environment. “It is going to be different with no crowd, but it’s been like that for the past year anyway – we are used to playing in empty stadiums, it’s not necessarily going to make much of a difference to our performance.”
Despite their Olympic journey being thrown into question after funding cuts earlier this year, both the men’s and women’s teams managed to secure funding from the National Lottery. This money was considered a lifeline to most, after they were told to find new jobs.
From an outsider’s perspective, I admire how the ‘one team’ mantra has really shone through this year. After a nail-biting men’s match against Team USA, you can tell from the video below that the win meant just as much to the women’s team. I expect the men’s team will be just as supportive when the women take centre stage on Thursday.
One Team ??#Tokyo2020 ? credit: @AbiLucyBurton pic.twitter.com/2o7dXtzNfG
— GB Rugby Sevens (@GBRugbySevens) July 27, 2021
This competition is poised to be an interesting one. Back in 2016 the women’s team just missed out on a medal, placing fourth overall. This time around however, it looks as if the squads are in great shape heading into the games.
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As the team brings together players from three different nations, you would think it would take some time for them to gel together. Apparently not.
“I don’t think from the outside you would be able to tell we are from three different nations. You can’t see any of the separation that you would expect from us all playing for different teams in the prem 15s. We genuinely get on really well, it feels like we have been a squad for ages.”
It’s worth remembering that rugby sevens was only added to the Olympic agenda for the first time at Rio in 2016, in the eyes of the general public, this sport is still relatively new. I would argue the fast-paced nature of the game makes it a great addition, when compared to the standard 15s game, 7s ensures to capture the attention of fans who before watching it, might not have considered themselves to be fans of the sport.
At the time of writing, it remains unclear if the matches will be broadcast on the BBC. Due to broadcasting rights the channel is only allowed to broadcast two live events at any one time, meaning it really depends on how the day shakes down with different events. Should the matches not be broadcast on BBC, fans should be able to access them via Eurosport – but this does mean signing up for an account with either Discovery+ or Eurosport.
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We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to comments