The men’s programme will include the Rugby Europe Sevens Series events in Moscow (4-5 June), Exeter (9-10 July) and Gdynia (16-17 July) as well as Sevens and the City at Allianz Park (2 July). Two GB teams will enter each event and in Rugby Europe they will take the place of England and Wales.
The women will compete in the Rugby Europe Event in Kazan (11-12 June), entering two teams, and an invitational tournament in Tignes (14-16 July) as they look to build further on the experience of GB Select playing in Dubai, Las Vegas and Vancouver where they finished first, second and third respectively.
Men’s Head Coach Simon Amor and Assistant Coach Gareth Williams will name their wider training squad at the start of May with the final 12 for both the men and women then announced mid-July. Women’s Head Coach Simon Middleton will continue to work alongside Assistant Coach Richie Pugh with the squad of 24, including two Welsh players and one Scottish, which has been training together since October.
With GB Sevens unable to compete on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, camp will begin for the men at the Lensbury Hotel (Teddington) following the London Sevens.
Management teams have been appointed for both squads as planning and preparations continue in advance of the full time GB training and competition schedules.
Team GB Sevens Head Coach (Men) Simon Amor said: “It is a condensed programme as a result of a number of unique challenges but everyone involved is determined to give it everything for Team GB to be successful in Rio. Being able to enter two GB Teams in all competitions allows us to test different combinations and confirm which 15s players can make the physical, mental and game understanding transition. By the time we have played at our home tournament in Exeter, we will have a good understanding of which players are really putting their hands up. I’ve been looking closely both at sevens specialists from across the three unions and a number of 15-a-side players throughout the season and know the balance we need in the squad.
“Previous international sevens experience is important for the players coming in and certain positions and skill sets allow them to blend better with current sevens players. Gareth Williams [Wales 7s Head Coach and Assistant Coach for Team GB] and I continue to work closely with Calum MacRae [Scotland 7s Head Coach] as four competitions in seven weeks means we need the guys fresh and fit coming off the back of an intense World Series. This remains a primary consideration for England Sevens as we approach the remaining tournaments.
“Believe in extraordinary is a Team GB strap line and from the end of May it’s all about Great Britain first. This will be the first GB Rugby Sevens team and it is a huge honour for everyone to be a part of. We are looking forward to bringing together a squad that is ready to work hard and to achieve success in Rio we will create an extraordinary GB Rugby Sevens team spirit.”
Team GB Sevens Head Coach Simon Middleton (Women) said: “The focus for the squad right now is continuity. The girls are training together and preparations are going well. It is also important that we have the opportunity to compete as a GB team given, that as with the men, it is an England squad that plays in the World Series.
“These invitational competitions are therefore right up there in the Rio preparation. There are still a few months to go but we need synergy within the team and so it’s a case of girls putting themselves forward, getting the shirt and then keeping it.”
