Team GB in the initial blocks and still no hope for DRV-Wolfpack

For three consecutive years, the DRV Wolfpack failed dramatically in Hong Kong, then the tournament fell victim to the Corona epidemic, and Japan was declared the winner (TR report). Two dramatic defeats in the finals, an equally unfortunate failure in the semi-finals against Ireland and bankruptcy on the green table – qualifying trauma prevented our Sevens boys from competing for years against the best teams in the World Series. For a long time, the creation of a team GB was seen by those responsible as an opportunity to build 15 core teams through a detour – an expectation that has now at least been clearly dashed.

It is unlikely to have much to do with the series of ten largest tournaments worldwide for the 2021 World Series. Empty rank seems inevitable, at least in some tournaments. The spectacular Hong Kong 7S at the magnificent stadium in the Happy Valley district, with its steep rows and unique atmosphere, is now set to mark the end of a small series in November 2021 – again, after millions of COVID vaccinations worldwide, Hopefully with the audience. After all, Asia has generally considered the epidemic to be much better than the rest of the world.

Before Rio 2016, the Olympic repechage tournament will be held five months before in the Principality of Monaco. On 19 and 20 June, France and Ireland will start the race as European contenders and big favorites for the final Tokyo ticket. The DRV team missed out on qualifying in the summer of 2019 due to the quarter-final defeat against the Irish in Colombo. England won the ticket for Tokyo directly to Team GB with a final win over French, Spain, as if our Wolfpack went empty handed.

Bad news streak ends with UK lottery rescue

But since then, there has been bad news for British servants one after another. The Union of England RFU, in fact the strongest financially around the world, slipped from the Corona crisis and caused a cost explosion in the expansion of Twickenham Stadium into a widespread financial crisis. One of the victims of the harsh austerity measures launched at the London headquarters was a team of seven from England, which was temporarily disbanded in August with no competitions in the calendar (TR report). The same was reported in Wales, with Scottish players still on short work or parked in fifteen clubs like England players.

Yesterday the associations of England, Wales and Scotland announced that they would train as Team GB, with financial support from the British Lottery, to collect precious metals in Tokyo until the start of the new year to play the game in Tokyo. At the Olympics, the three British nations are known to compete differently in football and rugby than Great Britain. That, in turn, should actually be good news for DRV-Wolfpack – as there was long-standing speculation as to whether Team GB should be retained in the World Series in the non-Olympic years.

In the Olympic finals in Rio 2016, Team GB had no chance against Fiji, but the project was still considered a success

Such a move would offer better preparations to the British team, which are tight due to the COVID epidemic, saving millions, and spending millions, but at the very least, Chile, Hong Kong and of course the Sevens Leave and give Germany a chance in the World Series. But apparently it will not come to that – because when England and Wales are interested in GB, a permanent team in the World Series, it is not so in Scotland.

Scotland will insist on separate teams / Wales

Half a year ago, when rumors of a permanent GB team arose and both RFU (England) and WRU (Wales) indicated their support, Scotland insisted on their own team of seven. With only two professional fifteen teams, the fifteen national team has repeatedly used its Sevens counterpart for talented youngsters, as it did recently with the tornado outside Darcy Graham. This time, the only Scottish announcement about Team GB lies in that they will have their own team again after the Olympics.

Should it happen, Wales implanted the charge, as the worst team ever in the canceled World Series. Despite two final places and three places, Welsh could compete in the World Series again in 2021/2022 as if nothing had happened. It would be logical to name a team with only one argument from World Rugby. Six of the ten tournaments were already completed in 2019/2020 and New Zealand was declared the winner and Japan the promoted team. At worst, it could be until April 2022 before our DRV Wolfpack is again allowed to deal with the surge among the 16 best teams in the world.