I've been watching the Commonwealth Rugby Sevens this morning and, despite the complete lack of standards and the teams' commitment, it got me thinking about 2016 (they'll be no 2012 final at Twikkers, ha!). The Olympics is the biggest and most important sporting stage, so Union getting Rugby Sevens in the Games is quite a coup for them. So, should our players put themselves forward to play in the Games and how would we feel about that?

Historically, teams from Wigan, Saints and Bradford have given the Union lot a good kicking in the Sevens. If I remember rightly, Robinson was in the England Rugby Sevens squad at the '02 Comm Games in Manchester (and of course won them the WC). The years of Union trying to marginalise and demonise League with smear campaigns and by banning anyone who so much as glances at RL stadium are long. In the interests of the national team, I see no reason why RL players shouldn't be allowed to play in the Rugby Sevens and I reckon our lads could add to the squad.

So, thoughts?

BTW, since when does Hefin O'Hare play for the Scottish Rugby Sevens team??

It will be a gvt based thing so if the best league players put themselves forward then theres not a lot they'd do about it. Problem is it'll be slap bang in the middle of the SL season.
Could you imagine Aus picking Inglis and Hayne amongst others.. Ive watched the standard of 7's and It'd be bloody ridiculous

The RFL should play a game. London Skolars 7s side v England RU 7s side. RU rules. Then when the Skolars win, tell the Olypic Commitee that we can pretty much guarantee a Gold Medal.

nah...why do you think RL clubs stopped getting invited to union 7's comps




liked it yesterday when a commentator spent a few minutes telling everyone that "PNG is no stranger to the oval ball game" and "rugby league is massive and many papuans play in the NRL and other league comps in australia"

made my morning

Whats the record score for a 7s match in history?

...What a stupid post

Tell me about it. The England RL team has the worst set of backs in its entire history and would be thoroughly pasted by England RU.

Australia RL could do well because of their athleticisim however.

Oz coaches have been complaining about the scheduling; apparently its too hot to play 7's at midday.



I'm sorry, but how does it get in Brisbane mid-season when teams play for 80 minutes at a higher intensity than Union 7's?? And, I don't see the hockey lads holding back.

Commentator today was saying that people might think of long passes and players running the length of the field when thinking of 7's, but the reality is that the modern game has more tackling and lots of shorter passes. Ok, the players are fitter nowadays, defences are tighter, but the actual reality is the attacking play, knowledge and tactics are woeful. For example, whenever a player breaks the initial impact of a tackle to free their upper body near the line they can't keep their ball carrying arm free, remain on their feet, turn their torso and offload, they just take the fall and throw the ball on the floor. Similarly, if the ball carrier is in his own half and in space and nothings on he'll throw the ball gently across the middle of the park so it settles on the floor. WHY!? Just run with it! Some of the matches today had two tries in them. Two! In 7's!

I say England RU 7's should line up against a Championship 7's team. Union rules, but only Mick Nanyn is allowed to score for the Championship team!

Ay up Ebenezer's here! Lets put humour away.

Clare Balding's brought this very topic up on BBC now!!!

GO CLARE LASS!!

And, she's brought up Wigan and Bradford success, haha!

I saw it too. But ad Josh lewsey stated it will be mid season so what's the incentive to sl clubs to release guys for say 4 weeks.

Very interesting.

To be fair the Yawnion boys (Lewsey & some posh bloke) were very PC about it. They've got a point that the devil is in the detail as it would be mid-SL season - the same reason RU premiership teams don't release players for it. But the gubbins about "the contact on the floor has changed since Bradford and Wigan won at 7s" is rubbish - competing for the ball on the floor isn't THAT technical.

F' me, Tomkins, Eastmond, Gaz Ellis, etc would kill it.

Watching England now against SA - I realise the England team are not mostly top-level RU players but their knowledge of running lines, creating gaps, etc seems very limited.

Clare you're a star.

I initially questioned that because Brazil's summer occurs during our winter, but the Games have been confirmed for 5-21 Aug. If the RFL were serious about getting League players in the squad then why not offer one player, possibly two, from each club in SL to be considered for the squad. If a player does get picked then the RFL could pay the club the wage costs of the players during that period. The player would then be missing a CC semi, but would be back in time for the CC final. It would certainly be a good spot of marketing for RL and the club whose player has gone out, which could offset the player's absence from the league.

Ive said this before that either in the olympics or Commonewelath games in fact esp the CW that RL should be playing as well.

I dont care if its Union because lets face it, union 7's is a bit like league.

But what i would do if what they do for some of the winter sports where you have GB1 and GB2.

1 could be union and 2 could be league.

I apologise for trying to have a bit of fun.

That comment about contact on the floor made me laugh. One, its not rocket science and how technical has Wigan's defensive play been this year? Two, you don't need to compete for the ball in a 7's ruck, exactly like what Wigan and Bradford did in their respective 7's successes. You tackle the player and you stand up and ready yourself in the defensive line, no one on the defensive line needs to challenge the ruck and step over the ball unless there is no attacking player in support. Defensive line needs to keep solid,not get sucked in and concentrate on moving up quickly, looking for the big hit, panic the defensive line and force the error, exactly what we do in League and what Union don't do in their game.

Clare is awesome!! Can we give her some sort of RL Knighthood?

If Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are represented in the CWG then the North should have its own team!

Why would we want Rugby League players to play and showcase Union

In industry, that would be like allowing your best talent to represent your competitors at their biggest event of the year

(and before anybody calls me paranoid, just take a look at what happened to the Wigan squad that won the Middlesex 7's and see where half of them ended up)

Unlike Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, the North is part of the Kingdom of England (and consequently the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).

I would say that we should be trying to get Nines represented there, then our players can play in that.

I know. I believe Cornwall applied to have their own represnetation at the Manchester Games, but it was kicked back.

HERESY!

Im not australian so I dont know but I wouldnt have thought Brisbane in the middle of winter was THAT hot...
Im there in the middle of december so I best get some factor 100 on the go if its that bad!

And Jonny, I didn't detect the humour: sorry.
I thought you were being serious as some on here would be.

Meh! Was it the houses of Essex and Berkshire that fought a series of civil wars for the English crown? No. It was Yorkshire and Lancashire. The North [iowns[/i England.

For the look of utter confusion on the newspaper back pages, not knowing whether to report it or not!

This is true. But, considering matches in Oz sometimes have to have breaks in the middle of either half because of the heat, I think you get what I'm trying to say.