The Great Britain Sevens program has revealed its rosters for both the Men’s and Women’s teams, set to participate in the HSBC SVNS inaugural event in Dubai this coming weekend.
It was communicated around a month and a half ago that Scottish Rugby would assume management of the Great Britain Sevens initiative. As part of this arrangement, six male athletes have secured full-time contracts and will train at Oriam, the high-performance sports facility of Heriot Watt University.
The Men’s team will include contracted players such as Roan Frostwick, Damien Hoyland, Matt Davidson, and Josh Radcliffe. Furthermore, Rory McHaffie, Ollie Duncan, and Brent Jackson, all associated with the Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors Academies, will also be part of the squad.
Ethan Waddleton stands out as the squad’s most seasoned competitor, boasting participation in 48 tournaments. Charlton Kerr will lead the team as captain.
The Women’s program primarily operates from within England and Wales, and the selection for this weekend’s competition consists of players from both nations.
Harlequins wing Katie Shillaker is the most experienced player in the GB squad with five previous tournament appearances. Eloise Hayward is the second-most experienced player in the squad with two tournament experiences. Together, they will share the responsibilities of captaincy.
The team includes a number of new faces, such as England age-grade internationals Joia Bennett, Solana Shaw de Leon, and Abigail Pritchard. Additionally, Hannah Marshall, Nia Fajeyisan, and Jorja Aiono all have experience as Wales age-grade internationals.
Ciaran Beattie, serving as the Great Britain Sevens Director of Rugby, will take on the role of coach for the men’s team, while Jonathan Hooper will coach the women’s team.
Both coaches bring extensive experience to their roles. Beattie previously coached the Scotland Men’s 7s team and has been in charge of the Great Britain program since the combined efforts of England, Scotland, and Wales began in 2022. Hooper’s background includes serving as the head coach for Wales Women’s U18s 7s and the exhibition team, Shogun Sevens.
The Great Britain Men’s team has been placed in Pool B alongside New Zealand, Spain, and Australia. Meanwhile, the Women’s team will compete in Pool B, facing off against Australia, Canada, and Japan.
“I’m enthusiastic about the commencement of this season, seeing it as a period where we can truly develop and improve,” Beattie noted.
“Dubai marks the starting point for both teams, and we are eager to observe their progress and potential achievements throughout the season.”
“Although we have had a limited preparation time together, it has been used effectively, with a strong sense of focus and energy.”
“We have an excellent combination of seasoned players and promising young talents eager to participate.”
“The sevens circuit is notably challenging for each player, and exposing our young talent to this environment will undoubtedly contribute to their growth.”
Great Britain Squads
Men’s Squad
Roan Frostwick (Scotland Sevens)
Marcus Kershaw (Great Britain Sevens)
Matt Davidson (Scotland Sevens)
Damien Hoyland (Scotland Sevens)
Rory McHaffie (Edinburgh Rugby Pro-Academy)
Brent Jackson (Glasgow Warriors Pro-Academy)
Ethan Waddleton (Great Britain Sevens)
Ryan Apps (Great Britain Sevens)
Tom Burton (Exeter University)
Ollie Duncan (Edinburgh Rugby Pro-Academy)
Josh Radcliffe (Scotland Sevens)
Charlton Kerr (Great Britain Sevens) – Captain
Luca Bardelli (Ayr)
Women’s Squad
Hanna Marshall (Gloucester Hartpury/WRU)
Katie Shillaker (Harlequins/RFU) – Co-captain
Abigail Pritchard (Gloucester Hartpury/RFU)
Eva Wood (Sale/RFU)
Nia Fajeyisan (Gwalia Lightning/WRU)
Hollie Williamson (Richmond RFC/RFU)
Courtney Greenway (Gwalia Lightning/WRU)
Ashton Adcock (Loughborough Lightning/RFU)
Solana Shaw de Leon (Harlequins/RFU)
Jorja Aiono (Gloucester Hartpury/WRU)
Joia Bennett (Saracens/RFU)
Ellen Scantlebury (Loughborough Lightning/RFU)
Eloise Hayward (Great Britain Sevens) – Co-captain
