The rugby sevens season is back and teams are naming their squads for the hectic season ahead. The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the biggest goal for the season. Many teams are playing in their Regional Qualifiers as England Names Sevens squads for 2017/18 season.
With the retirement of DJ Forbes, James Rodwell could become the record holder of most appearances in the Series. Rodwell will be joined by other senior players like Dan Norton, Tom Mitchell, Charlie Hayter, Richard De Carpentier and Oliver Lindsay-Hague.
In the Womens side, Team GB captain Emily Scarratt makes a return with another Womens World Cup standout Alex Matthews. Heather Fischer, Abbie Brown and Amy Wilson-Hardy also making their returns. This could be the toughest season yet for the game of sevens.
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England Names Sevens Squads
The Simon Amor coached Mens side have a busy season ahead so are the Womens side. The Mens side have the HSBC World Sevens Series, Rugby Sevens Grand Prix Europe, Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens.
The Womens side face a similar schedule with international tournaments. On the upside, the women have only five tournaments to compete in, in the HSBC Womens Sevens Series.
Academy players will be joined by University players to be available for selection when they are not studying.
England Men’s
The English finished fifth in the series last season and are aiming to go one better. Apart from the six senior players who extended contracts, other seasoned campaigners have been recalled too.
Elusive Dan Bibby, Tom Bowen, Ruadrith McConnochie, Phil Burgess together with Ethal Waddleton and Alex Davis are all back in the mix.
Academy Boys
Cam Cowell who played 38 matches in the HSBC World Series has joined Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership.
Five other Academy boys have not renewed their contracts. Jordan Ainslie, Will Attfield, Tom Ffitch, Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas and Henry Martin. They will all be heading to university.
“This season we have two major competitions in the Commonwealth Games as well as the Rugby World Cup Sevens and all of our efforts will be focused on doing our best to win these events,” said England Men Sevens head coach Amor on englandrugby.com
England Men’s Sevens 2017/18 Squad:
Dan Bibby, Tom Bowen, Phil Burgess, George Chatterton, Richard de Carpentier, Alex Davis, Will Edwards, Lailand Gordon, Fergus Guiry, Charlie Hayter, Charlton Kerr, Ollie Lindsay-Hague, Ruaridh McConnochie, Tom Mitchell, Dan Norton, Ryan Olowofela, James Rodwell, Callum Sirker, Charlie Spawforth, Ethan Waddleton.
England Womens
The English have named 17 contracted players to feature for them in their biggest sevens season. It will be a long and hectic journey which will really test their resolve.
Joining Scarratt and Matthews are World Cup team mates in Lydia Thompson, Vicky Fleetwood and Sarah McKenna. Sevens veterans Frans Matthews and Natasha Brenan have retired from international sevens.
Current England players Chantelle Miell, Deborah Fleming, Holly Aitchison, Katie Mason and Millie Wood have also been awarded full-time sevens contracts.
“Last season enabled us to unearth new talent in the sevens programme and crucially allow younger players to gain invaluable playing experience in major tournaments such as HSBC Women’s Sevens Series,” said James Bailey, England Womens coach on englandrugby.com
“We are looking forward to continuing to build on performances from last season and bring this talented group together and start preparations for what will be an exciting season for sevens.”
England full-time sevens contracts – 17
Abbie Brown, Alex Matthews, Amy Wilson Hardy, Claire Allan, Chantelle Miell, Deborah Fleming, Emily Scarratt, Emily Scott, Heather Fisher, Holly Aitchison, Katie Mason, Lydia Thompson, Megan Jones, Millie Wood, Natasha Hunt, Sarah McKenna, Vicky Fleetwood.
Men’s university players:
Yaree Fantini (Northumbria University), Harry Glover (Newcastle University), Will Glover (Newcastle University), Charlie Kingham (Loughborough University), Mason Tonks (Gloucester Academy).
Women’s university players:
Jess Breach (Chichester University), Liv Jones (Loughborough University), Celia Quansah (Loughborough University), Kelly Smith (Hartpury College)
England Men Sevens tournament schedule 2017/18
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2017-18:
Dubai: 1-2 December, 2017
Cape Town: 9-10 December
Sydney: 26-28 January, 2018
Hamilton: 3-4 February
Las Vegas: 2-4 March
Vancouver: 10-11 March
Hong Kong: 6-8 April
Singapore: 28-29 April
London: 2-3 June
Paris: 9-10 June
Commonwealth Games 2018:
Gold Coast: 14-15 April
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018:
San Francisco: 20-22 July
International Academy Tournaments:
DHL Oktoberfest 7s: 29-30 September
Assupol 7s: 28-28 October
Silicon Valley 7s: 4-5 November
Dubai Invitational 7s: 30 November – 2 December
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