7 Reasons To Look Forward To Rugby Sevens At Rio 2016 Olympics

4. There Will Be Team GB Sides

Although not confirmed, there is no reason to think that there will be any age restrictions on the composition of the sides as with the football where U23s plus three overage players made up the squads. The players typically selected for Sevens tend to be younger anyway, but there is no reason why, if allowed, who ever was in charge could select someone like Ben Foden, an experienced full England international. And, again, unlike the football, the governing bodies of all the British countries shouldn't have any issue with releasing their players. The football team in London 2012 was purely Anglo-Welsh after the Scottish and Irish FAs stamped their feet and took their ball home. Rugby already has the British and Irish Lions, next due to tour in Australia 2013, and sees players from England,Wales,Scotland and Ireland play together without question. To play for the Lions is seen as a pinnacle in any players career and hopefully the Sevens players will see it in the same light.
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Follow @BallInTouch on Twitter to keep up to date with all the latest rugby news and columns. Jeff Ball is a Geordie with a Newcastle Falcons season ticket, a rugby coaching badge, a bias for Newcastle United on Playstation games and was terrified by Jurassic Park as a child. For more of his personal musings following him on Twitter @JeffreyBall If you have any comments about this story please post a comment.