Mumbai, Mie, Madrid - GB part-time stars' search for sevens
Since their contracts were stripped back to part-time last summer, Great Britain Sevens players have had to find alternative employment and teams to keep their passion alive.
Six out of the seven members of England's 2017 World Cup-winning rugby sevens team also played in the sport's 15-a-side format before transitioning to the smaller-sided game. Former GB Sevens player Abbie Brown, proud of her former teammates' success in 15s, laments the stripping back of the country's full-time sevens program, which was cut in July to save money.
As a result, both the men's and women's teams have struggled to compete against the world's best, finishing last in the top tier of the World Sevens Series and having to find alternative ways to supplement their incomes. Brown has coached and mentored, while another teammate, Ellie Boatman, has played in Japan's domestic sevens circuit.
In response to the loss of their full-time program, many of Brown and Boatman's teammates have taken up opportunities in the new Ultimate Sevens circuit, launching in September with four events in Madrid, Cardiff, Biarritz, and London. Featuring 10-minute knockout matches and marquee players like Brown and Boatman, the new series aims to provide additional playing and financial opportunities for players and coaches, potentially relieving some of the pressure on existing international programs.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
