Players committing to Rio 2016 after RWC

[arry nordy key]

It looks as though Quade Cooper and Henry Speight will forgo XVs next year in an attempt to make the Australian 7s squad for the Olympics.

SBW and Liam Messam are all but officially confirmed for NZ.

Who do people think could be others to through their hat in the ring for these or other countries?

I think I heard a rumour that Tom Croft might get involved for GB.

 

[nickdnz]

The Savea's and Barrett also look likely options. Vito is another possibility (who I would probably prefer to Messam).

Barrett and Julian Savea would be huge (I'm not convinced SBW would be any good at 7s anyway). Both have great gas and skills.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can't see (m)any stars making the switch for Team GB - timing as much as anything: they'd have to skip parts of the season to play 7s, and in a RWC year where they're already missing part, the clubs would not be happy bunnies.

Would love to see Wade involved, though, he'd be like if Carlin Isles could play rugby

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Considering it's Team GB, could we get Scottish, Welsh, English and possibly some Irish playing in the same team? British and Irish Lions 7s

 

[ratsapprentice]

Would love to see Wade involved, though, he'd be like if Carlin Isles could play rugby

Except significantly slower... :huh:

 

[SelimNiai]

Considering it's Team GB, could we get Scottish, Welsh, English and possibly some Irish playing in the same team? British and Irish Lions 7s

Where do Ulster fit in all this then? Obviously Leisnter, Munster, Connacht will form Ireland (if they field a team) but technically Ulster would be part of GB. But as theyre under the IRFU would they allow Ulster players to play.

This is why GB dont really do established team sports at Olympics etc, theres so many stumbling blocks to overcome and make it worth the bother

 

[ncurd]

Are we actually putting a GB 7's forwards? I'm thinking of farce that was the football team here...

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Where do Ulster fit in all this then? Obviously Leisnter, Munster, Connacht will form Ireland (if they field a team) but technically Ulster would be part of GB. But as theyre under the IRFU would they allow Ulster players to play.

This is why GB dont really do established team sports at Olympics etc, theres so many stumbling blocks to overcome and make it worth the bother

In the Olympics people from NI can elect to play for GB or Ireland see Rory McIlroy

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain_at_the_Olympics#Eligibility

 

[SelimNiai]

Are we actually putting a GB 7's forwards? I'm thinking of farce that was the football team here...

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In the Olympics people from NI can elect to play for GB or Ireland see Rory McIlroy

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain_at_the_Olympics#Eligibility

Thanks

I don't think we will tbh. The football team we had to as we were hosting, as it turned out both Wales and Scottish FA's were and still are, so no football GB in Rio, dead against it and it turned out to be England plus a couple of others. For the rugby it will boil down to what the individual bodies feel about it, the football objection was they risk diluting the individual nationalities identity or something like that.

There is a risk of likening this to "a Sevens version of the Lions", this is a very separate thing to that and I think it would sully the name.

 

[arry nordy key]

GB 7s is definitely happening: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-sevens-coaches-chosen-team-9717716

And as ncurd said, I think Northern Irish players will probably have an option from dual-nationality anyway. Could affect Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy or Iain Henderson, but doubt any significant others? Ireland have yet to ever take 7s seriously, but i think they will be entering a team to Rio as they were participating in some obscure european qualifying events recently.

 

[RedruthRFC]

In the Olympics people from NI can elect to play for GB or Ireland see Rory McIlroy

Not according to the Wikipedia page about the 2016 Rugby Sevens (although things aren't explained particularly well there):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_sevens_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics

If any Irish players are to take part in the tournament, they will have to win the final place available to them via the qualifying tournament against some regular World Series teams.

 

[ratsapprentice]

We may see some NI players in the GB team if Ireland fail to qualify in the repechage.

Of course we are putting a team together.

 

[RedruthRFC]

We may see some NI players in the GB team if Ireland fail to qualify in the repechage.

Of course we are putting a team together.

As above, not unless the IRFU change their stance. Being a Wikipedia article, this may have happened already!

 

[ncurd]

Not according to the Wikipedia page about the 2016 Rugby Sevens (although things aren't explained particularly well there):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_sevens_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics

If any Irish players are to take part in the tournament, they will have to win the final place available to them via the qualifying tournament against some regular World Series teams.

I'm just going by the general rules lets be honest here unlike football the IRFU, WRU, SRU & RFU all have a history of working together. There was probably a level of "lets not be stupid about this" I suspect as there is no NI in Rugby (unless you count Ulster) and players always play for "Ireland" it just made sense to not make it an option. Unless a player tries to enact their rights and the WRU/SRU/RFU try to select him it's a moot point. However I suspect if it did happen there would be little the IRFU could do about it.

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A similar thing happened with Team GB and the WFU tried to stop Welsh players being picked but there was nowt they could do about it.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ulster is not the same as Northern Ireland. Three counties of Ulster are in the Republic, not that it affects most of the rugby players but it does mean Bowe at least couldn't play for GB. I'm highly doubtful any the likes of Gilroy or Henderson would leave Ulster for at least a year to play 7's though. There's not a lot of prestige to it here and it's just not worth the risk.

Our own recently formed 7's team is consists of mostly fringe players, academy, sub academy and AIL guys. For the Lisbon tournament there were two players from Ulster and one exile.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Anyone who's played for Ireland would have to use that loophole to play for GBNI. McIlroy couldn't play for them so neither could Gilroy, Henderson et al I'd imagine!

 

[ncurd]

Anyone who's played for Ireland would have to use that loophole to play for GBNI. McIlroy couldn't play for them so neither could Gilroy, Henderson et al I'd imagine!

Yes he could...http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/27906964

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yes he could...http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/27906964

A decision which was "made" so he didn't look like a *****. http://www.the42.ie/rory-mcilr-882442-Apr2013/

wrong article! http://www.irishcentral.com/news/ro...uous-olympics-ruling-204652241-237584481.html

 

[ncurd]

Fair enough, to be honest that article opens up too many cans of worms.

As there is no NI rugby team and the IRFU governs rugby in NI the Ireland Rugby team is really an ROI & NI almanac. Thus those player who no choice who can elect for in normal rugby terms as far as aware no player in NI can elect to play for Wales/Scotland/England. They could argue they have declared for NI in rugby terms and therefore have the choice of playing for Team GB.

Pure speculation there.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Fair enough, to be honest that article opens up too many cans of worms.

As there is no NI rugby team and the IRFU governs rugby in NI the Ireland Rugby team is really an ROI & NI almanac. Thus those player who no choice who can elect for in normal rugby terms as far as aware no player in NI can elect to play for Wales/Scotland/England. They could argue they have declared for NI in rugby terms and therefore have the choice of playing for Team GB.

Pure speculation there.

It's ambiguous but Mcilroy made the decision prior to the ruling so take from that what you will, he seemed to be leaning to GBNI before that.

I imagine any any uncapped player would be fine. The likelihood of them playing would be low though, there'll be a development tour in the same year and these lads would want their shot at the Irish XV rather than the GB 7's.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd be amazed if any NI players were named in the GB squad.
The "big names" will not likely put their names forward, cant imagine any others being on the radar due to no real 7s coming out of Ireland until this season.

Team GB will be mostly the England squad, a couple of the Welsh and maybe a token Scot.