DUBAI // Much has been made of the transformative effect of the Olympics on sevens, with its Rio debut reportedly helping attract 16.8 million new supporters to rugby’s abbreviated format.
At the weekend in Dubai, there was a discernible bounce on a smaller scale after the Games, notably on the form of the three nations which constitute Great Britain.
Despite having a miserable time on the World Series last season, a combined side of players from England, Wales and Scotland took the silver medal at the Games.
One tournament is not much of a sample size to go on, but the Dubai Rugby Sevens suggests the three Home Nations prefer post-Olympic life to that which went immediately before it.
England, who have been contenders at the top of the standings at times in the past, finished a below-par eighth on the series last season. Scotland were 10th, while Wales, World Cup Sevens winners in Dubai in 2009, were 12th.
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In Dubai, their fortunes were greatly improved. England took bronze, Wales reached their first semi-final since 2013, while Scotland were sixth – and were only denied a place in the top four by a farcical late loss to England in the quarters.
According to Simon Amor, the England coach who was also in charge of the GB sevens team, the season leading up to the Games was problematic.
Gareth Williams, the Wales coach who was Amor’s assistant, meanwhile, suggested this weekend Dubai Sevens marked the start of his side building for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
“From our point of view, we are very much focused on building towards the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup in 2018,” Williams said.
“We have the honour of taking a squad to the Commonwealth Games representing Wales, which is different to what the Olympics was. It is a fantastic challenge for us, and we are excited about that.”
Being friends once every four years, and enemies the rest of the time is not totally alien to British rugby players – given the concept apes that of the British & Irish Lions.
It is unique on the sevens circuit, though. When England played Wales in the bronze medal match on Pitch 1 on Saturday, a number of Olympic teammates were up against each other.
Ironically, two players who shared a contrasting experience of the Games to the rest were try-scorers in England’s 38-10 win.
Luke Treharne, the Wales co-captain, and Charlie Hayter, of England, were non-travelling reserves in Rio.
“We weren’t in the village,” said Treharne, who will be absent from the Wales team at the Cape Town Sevens as he is returning home because of his medical studies.
“It was weird. We weren’t allowed on the bus to training with the boys. We trained, but we had to get taxis to get there.
“It was a bit mad. We weren’t allowed to have accreditation for the venues, so we had to sit in the stands and wait.
“We did such a long training camp before it, so we had a great bond with the boys anyway. But it was strange that they went through a whole tournament without getting a knock at all.”
Samoa set to soar
Meanwhile England’s Amor believes Samoa will be revived as a force on the World Sevens Series by the appointment of Gordon Tietjens.
Tietjens ended a 22-year reign in charge of New Zealand after they failed to medal at the Rio Olympics, and subsequently signed a four-year contract to coach Samoa.
The Samoans did not qualify for the Olympics, and were ninth on last season’s series, despite being world champions in 2009/10.
“Titch has been the most successful sevens coach the world has ever seen, so if he goes into any programme, you know there is going to be a bounce effect that comes from that,” Amor said.
“We know that is going to happen. We knew they were going to be a tough team to play against, they are going to be a real tough proposition this season.”
Samoa finished eighth at the Dubai Rugby Sevens, with Tietjens watching on from the stands.
“To me it is a learning curve to be with Titch,” said Stephen Betham, the coach who took Samoa to the title six years ago, who is now Tietjens’ No 2.
“He has won every title, except for an Olympic medal. It has been a great experience to work with Titch.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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