Sevens players plead for help to fund Games bid
England men’s and women’s sevens players have launched a crowdfunding initiative to help prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, having been made redundant by the Rugby Football Union last month.
Unlike the majority of Olympic sports, sevens does not receive long-term funding from UK Sport, so when the RFU made the decision to cut the sevens programmes last month, players lost their only source of funding.
Both England teams qualified for the 2020 Olympics on behalf of Team GB, with the plan being for Scottish and Welsh players to join on the build-up to Tokyo. As was the case four years ago when the men won silver and the women came fourth, it was expected the bulk of both squads would be made up of English players.
Olympic silver medallist Phil Burgess said: “We are using crowdfunding to help connect with people that support rugby and would like to help our drive to get to the Olympics.
“If we can get the money to fund our own programme we can be in control or at least help guide our own future.”
Players have launched campaigns across social media to make rugby fans aware of their plight.
It is understood the England rugby sevens programmes cost the RFU £2 million a year. The governing body faces projected losses of between £73-£107 million for this financial year.
Since being told at the start of last month that they would be made redundant and the professional programmes would be scrapped, players have been scrambling for employment in order to support their Olympic dreams while trying to keep in competitive shape. A large number of the women’s squad have signed with Premier 15s sides in order to keep playing rugby, but it is understood clubs are willing to release players so they can take part in a truncated 2021 World Series leading up to Tokyo. These players, however, will not be paid as professionals.
Of the squad of almost 20 men, just four have been contracted by Premiership clubs – the most high profile being World Series all-time highest try-scorer Dan Norton, who signed a short-term deal with London Irish.
Ben Harris signed with Saracens on an academy deal and the 21-yearold scored in his Premiership debut against Gloucester last month, while Will Muir followed sevens to XVS convert Ruaridh Mcconnochie in signing for Bath.