Great Britain Faces Setback in Bid to Qualify for Tokyo Olympics
Great Britain’s hopes of securing a spot in the rugby sevens tournament at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris have taken a hit after failing to reach an agreement on an insurance package for the release of Premiership players.
While France have bolstered their squad with the addition of XVs superstar Antoine Dupont, and Australia have signed up former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, Team GB has been unable to secure the release of players like Newcastle winger Adam Radwan and Bath’s Will Muir ahead of this weekend’s make-or-break repechage tournament in Monaco.
“England are now considered outsiders to qualify for the Olympics after missing the initial cut, and the lack of collaboration with the XVs game will further damage their chances of beating the likes of South Africa for the final place in Paris.”
The heightened speed and intensity of the sevens format leaves XVs players vulnerable to muscular injuries, which could impact their availability for the start of the new season. Team GB’s failure to agree an insurance package has dealt a significant blow to their Olympic qualification hopes.
In April, Newcastle coach Steve Diamond had indicated a willingness to release Adam Radwan for the Olympic training camp, provided the necessary insurance protocols were in place. However, this now appears unlikely to materialize.
With France and Australia strengthening their squads, Great Britain faces an uphill battle to secure the final spot in the rugby sevens tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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