The elite nations of the southern hemisphere will not even consider Great Britain a viable rival for Olympic sevens gold at Rio in 2016 unless the structure of the side and its management is sorted by the end of this season.
That is the view of Mike Friday, the current Kenya coach, who twice won the Dubai Rugby Sevens with England in 2004 and 2005.
Great Britain will likely be handed a place at Rio when rugby's abridged format makes its debut at the Games if any one of England, Scotland or Wales finish in the top four of the world sevens series starting in two years' time.
However, the structure of the tour party that would travel to the Olympics is far from decided.
"All the southern hemisphere nations are rubbing their hands at the fact Team GB aren't sorted out," said Friday, who ended a six-year absence from coaching on the international sevens circuit by guiding Kenya to the semi-finals of the Gold Coast Sevens last week.
"Every year that goes by they will think of it as being one less competitor to worry about."
Sir Clive Woodward, the former World Cup winning coach of England, who has stepped down from his role as director of sport at the British Olympic Association, was recently quoted as saying he believes Great Britain should play as a combined side on the world series from 2014 onwards.
"At some stage somebody's got to see the bigger picture and say, 'The most important thing is that we set the stall about winning'," Woodward said. "There's absolutely no reason why we can't go to Rio in 2016 and win a gold medal in men's rugby."
Friday returned to coaching international sevens this summer when he agreed to a two-year contract with Kenya. He said he is desperate to play a role at Rio in four years' time, whether it be with his current employers or, ideally, as part of the management team of his homeland. "Everybody knows I'm passionate about my home country, and I was when I was with England," said Friday, who is dovetailing his work in the property sector in London with coaching Kenya in the world series.
"Would I love to be involved with Team GB in 2016? Absolutely. I just hope Great Britain adopt the British [& Irish] Lions model, whereby it is an open interview process and that they try to get the best management team in place; pick the best coach and the best players.
"I hope they don't follow the hockey model, which is just the dominant home nation, because I think that could suppress the capability Team GB could have."
Friday was coach when England won the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games at Melbourne.
That was the only time a side from the northern hemisphere has medalled in the four Commonwealth rugby tournaments to date.
New Zealand, the multiple Sevens World Series champions, have won gold each time.
The home nations are not short on pedigree, though.
England have finished third in the series for two seasons running under Ben Ryan, the man regarded as the leading candidate to be Team GB's head coach and who has overseen successive Dubai Sevens triumphs.
Wales, meanwhile, are the current World Cup holders in the format, which they won at Dubai in 2009 under Paul John, their highly regarded coach. The debate as to the best way forward is not confined to the coaching role, however.
"A number of discussions have to take place as to what players are going to be involved," Friday said.
"Is it all rugby players? Is it rugby union and rugby league players?
"Is it only sevens specialists, or is it the best rugby players irrelevant of XVs or sevens?
"There are so many possibilities which need to be resolved in the first instance before you can start to consider who the right people are to do it, which is why I think the Lions' model is best.
"It is an open process and you pick the best people to do it."
THE OPTIONS
Team GB will have no shortage of candidates to lead them to Rio 2016.
Ben Ryan (England coach)
Took over from Mike Friday six years ago. Like his predecessor, Ryan, above, has won back to back Dubai Rugby Sevens, the second of which laid the platform for a third-place finish in last season's World Series. Has worked closely with Britain's highly-successful Olympic cycling team.
Paul John (Wales coach)
Despite the abbreviated game's low standing in Wales, John juggled modest resources to make them champions at the World Cup Sevens in Dubai in 2009. Maintaining that level of performance in the series has been constantly undermined since by a high player turnover.
Phil Greening (Scotland coach)
Friday's faithful deputy when he was in charge of England has become his rival this season since taking charge of Scotland. Lived in Singapore for two years between leaving England sevens and coaching London Welsh in 2009, before rejoining the series this term.
Mike Friday (Kenya coach)
During six years in charge, 22 players passed through his England sevens programme to become full internationals. Remained close to the series despite his long hiatus from coaching, mainly via the Sky pundit's chair but also as a veteran player for Christina Noble.
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