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Robin Heymann

It perhaps seems fitting that England should base their preparations for October’s Commonwealth Games at Bisham Abbey.

It’s one of five National Sports Centres that form Sport England's strategy to generate world class sporting talent.

Tennis players, swimmers, track and field athletes and paralympians are just some of the elite performers you will see in action around the beautifully secluded ‘campus’ in Buckinghamshire.

It’s an ideal setting to motivate the England players currently battling for their places for October’s multi-sport extravaganza in Delhi.

“Being here in Bisham Abbey, mingling with other athletes, does give you a little slice of the action and what we can expect from the team village,” says England Sevens coach Ben Ryan, post-training session.

As we have seen before on UR7s.com, Ryan is not afraid of change and thinking outside the box.

Sporty environment

His renowned innovative methods have seen him delve into an array of different sports to get the very best from his side.

“We’ve always looked to what others are doing and shared ideas. Whether that is speaking to Chris Boardman (Cycling), Jason Gardener (Athletics), Karen Pickering (Swimming), some of the Sailors, rowers and GB Hockey.
“We’ve done it on a management level and now the players are beginning to mix with these guys here.”

In fact the facilities are of such a high standard at Bisham that it will allow England to prepare for the very different rugby conditions that Delhi brings.

Whilst the Aussies and Samoa will prepare in the furnace of Darwin with New Zealand, amongst others, heading to Dubai, Ryan is happy to keep his troops in Blighty.

The various settings at Bisham’s environmental chambers allow athletes to replicate and train in any potential conditions you could face. That could be at 2000m at altitude or 100% humidity. With the facilities a decent size there is room to do exercise and get running machines and bikes into the mix.

“We also use it to return any player from injury quicker,” explains Ryan.

“In Delhi and in places like Hong Kong, it’s not just a physiological impact but a mental impact. It’s a good add-on. It’s not our plan (to prepare abroad), we’re going to fly into Delhi and we have structured it so we will have time to acclimatise there.”

Immersing themselves with other athletes as been an eye-opener for this increasingly settled England squad.
They have witnessed first hand the efforts and intensity of other athletes training with many having to work full-time jobs as well.

That’s not the case for 10 of Ryan’s squad who now uniquely find themselves permanently contracted with England Sevens, with no official affiliation to other clubs.

Going full-time

It’s a model that works for the likes of South Africa and New Zealand. How fundamentally will it improve performances on the pitch?

‘It is about understanding and we are starting to make in-roads now. Like two years ago when we had some success and we had the same group of players and they understood each other. We’ve now got that,” explains the coach.

“We can play differently against different teams, we can look at our strengths and weaknesses and be far more oiled as a machine.

“Last year we went to Dubai Sevens with 50% of what we have already done here, and we have only done a fifth of our programme ahead of Delhi.”

Having a more balanced and familiar looking squad shows the direction the squad is heading in. Bringing high profile players back from 15s into the sevens set-up as had mixed results over the last few years. The unfortunate Ollie Phillips and Stade Francais furore last season was another unwanted distraction.

Although he hasn’t ruled out a possible addition or two to the India squad, Ryan seems perfectly content with the players currently at his disposal. 

“We’ve been caught in the headlights too many times by stargazing and looking at players and thinking they are going to be so good for us.

“What we think we’ve got here, with this contact time, will make us a better team. That has to be the aim for us, that we will play better as a unit.”

Middlesex Sevens crucial

The structures and preparation are of course going to aid England’s Commonwealth assault and for future battles. But the buzz word is of course ‘game time’ and a spot at the upcoming Middlesex Sevens, under the Help for Heroes banner, gives them that opportunity.

“We are delighted to be involved. It will be the best England team we can muster for Middlesex. Clubs have been very good that this is our one live run-out before Commonwealth Games so they have let us have their players.

“With a bit of luck some of those Premiership Clubs will have some of their EPS squad players playing as well, I know they are all pretty keen. If that happens then we will have quite a lot of quality to contend with at Middlesex.

The tournament throws together some potential intriguing contests with the national sides of England, Wales and Scotland being joined by a selection of Premiership clubs and the top four sides from this year’s National Sevens Series.

Ryan has been an interested spectator this summer. First we’ve had the inaugural National Series taking place, bringing the best invitational sevens teams in the country together. We’ve also seen a first ever Premiership Sevens Series, putting a wide range of potential talent on show.

“It might ask a few questions on what is a stronger tournament; the UR7s Series (National Sevens Series) or the Premiership Sevens?

“It will be very interesting from a neutral’s point of view, they are both in embryonic stages. I’m sure they will move forward and get better and better. It will be interesting to see what happens.

“There’s Samurai, Marauders and the HFW Wailers, then you have Saracens who have been one of the stronger club sides. London Irish won Middlesex last year and are going toe-to-toe.”

Playing for the Help for Heroes charity, which seeks to raise funds and awareness for injured servicemen, is something special to Ryan.

“My cousin is out in Afghanistan at the moment and two of his regiment were killed last week.

“One of our players, Damudamu, is getting his rehab in Hedley Court at the moment. He is getting rehab to play rugby and some of the Army guys in their have lost legs and arms.

“It brings it home about anything we can do to help.”

So exciting pastures lay ahead for English rugby sevens.

Although the national team blooded a number of new players to the IRB Sevens World Series last year, a return of fifth place would have stung. It will be fascinating to see how the changes of full-time players will translate onto the pitch.

But for now the focus is very much on Delhi.

Such is the thirst in the UK for success in Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, Ryan knows a good run can give the sport and his team some deserved exposure.

“If we win a medal it is probably going to get us some decent news coverage and it be will exciting as England has never won a gold medal.

“We’re keen to use the Commonwealth Games as a bit of a springboard for England Sevens and sevens as a whole.”