Good to see women winning more awards
JEFF PROBYN
A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME
IT WAS disappointing that Team GB women's sevens side were unable to get any medals that we all thought they would. With a number of the team from England's World Cup runners-up squad in the 15s game, it was almost unthinkable that they would not get a medal of some sort.
Losing to the USA in the quarter-final seemed to go against the run of play. Team GB won the first half 7-5, but failed to capitalise on their advantage and saw USA score two tries in the second half to win the game.
The game of sevens requires a different skillset to the 15s game; even players like myself used to enjoy the space that playing sevens opened up for us. It allowed us to run with the ball rather than being in a constant physical battle to secure it for the backs to either drop or knock on, or occasionally run with.
It's a pity there seems to be fewer sevens competitions than when I played. Sevens was a signal that the season was coming to an end, with clubs at all levels holding competitions, it was really like a fun day out.
It's good to see that the Middlesex Sevens have at last recovered from Covid and have renewed the competition which next season will include a women's team section as well.
I was the guest speaker at the Essex County Dinner last week and was pleased to see the increase in the number of women's teams winning awards and it was good to meet a mixture of players male and female representing many clubs from across the county.
Speaking to some of the club presidents it became apparent that the increase in women playing in the grassroots game has made a huge impact on club finances, by replacing a number of teams lost at that level in the men's game due to the declining number of men taking part in the game.
One thing we all agreed on was that the women's games are more fun to watch, being more like the game was played before professionalism. Their game still has the openness of looking to create and find space to exploit, rather than seeking contact like so much of the men's game now, particularly at the elite level.
Even though I like sevens, I must admit to liking tens more, having played in a number of competitions in Hong Kong and England.
Tens, unlike sevens retains much of the style of play you see in the 15-a-side, for example rucks, mauls and meaningful scrums, but with the reduced number of forwards and backs it creates more space on the pitch making it a much faster game.
The tens competition in Hong Kong was played in the week before the much more publicised Hong Kong 7s and I played for the England Classicals which was a team made up of some former England players like Steve Smith, Steve Boyle, Tony Bond, Paul Rendall (the Judge), and others.
There was also an International Tens contest here in England played in Bath and I still have my silver pint winner's mug from when England beat Wales in the final.
“I'm pleased the Middlesex Sevens is returning, and with a women's team section”
To a certain extent, the fact that tens and sevens games (including the Middlesex Sevens), are no longer played by the Premiership clubs or their players, sadly creates a divide in the game.
Although I understand some of the reasons why they don't play, the potential for injury and players playing too many matches, these matches may well have many beneficial elements to them.
Playing in those competitions outside the regular 15-a-side season helped players develop their skill levels and maintain fitness during the off-season by taking part in the numerous competitions on offer for fun.
With many of the competitions consisting of a mixture of teams from different levels of the game, they also provided a pathway opportunity for players from the grassroots clubs to show their talents against Premiership players with the possibility of opening the door to the top level of play.
LAST week's article from Jon Newcombe with Paul Gustard calling for the scrapping of the overseas player ban will fall on deaf ears from both the Premiership and the RFU.
As much as I agree that some players playing abroad will gain far more skills and ability than those who remain sheltered in the Premiership, you have to look at the bigger picture.
It has been known since the beginning of the game that different countries playing different styles can help develop young players and make them better. There have been many who have spent time abroad for a number of reasons then returning to Britain and playing for England, including RWC winning captain Martin Johnson.
However, in a professional game it is all about the money, so in order to keep the best players playing in the Premiership and hopefully helping to attract more paying spectators, the RFU agreed that only players playing in England can be picked. Then there is the PGP (professional game partnership) money which is paid to the Premiership to allow for player release, so the England coach has access to his squad when he needs to, which would not happen with the players playing abroad unless the foreign clubs got a cut of the money.
Match fees and the extra money paid to international players in the Premiership keeps players here as it balances out the higher salaries abroad but only while playing internationally. Players like Joe Marchant, unsure of selection, have chosen to take the money early and play abroad, while players like Jack Willis had to make the move when their clubs went to the wall with no job offers from other Premiership clubs.
I am sure both would return to England club rugby if they were assured of international selection and the extra money it brings.
