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Ben Gollings believes England have the right balance in their side to challenge for medals at next month’s Commonwealth Games Sevens in India.

The 30-year-old world record Sevens points scorer is the only survivor in the squad from Melbourne 2006, when England finished as silver medallists after a “sensational tournament”.

Now he wants to add gold in New Delhi, where the Sevens takes place on October 11-12.

England have a squad of Sevens specialists this season who have been training since July for the Games and the IRB Sevens World Series that kicks off in Dubai in December.

They won’t go to Delhi as favourites – New Zealand have won the three gold medals since the sport was introduced in 1998 – but the blend of talent in the squad makes Gollings optimistic.

Seven of the 12-man squad named by head coach Ben Ryan this week beat the Kiwis to clinch the Emirates Airlines London Sevens title in 2009, and won in New Zealand at the Wellington Sevens earlier that year.

"When we went to the Commonwealth Games in 2006 we were probably more of a top dog side," said Gollings.

"No means I’d say we’re underdogs but I think it’s nice that we’re going in a bit under the radar and we can just go out and do our business.

"The experience is there of going out and playing big games. Last year we missed a few guys because of injury but there’s players that are capable of performing in big games and they don’t get any bigger than representing your country at a Commonwealth Games.

"If everybody stays fit and we put it together our chances are fairly high. We’re not going just to compete, we want to come back with a gold. We got silver last time and I know I’d like to have a gold."
We've got quality and options – Gollings

Ben Gollings celebrates a try for England Sevens against Fiji at the 2009 Wellington Sevens

Photo: Getty Images

England Under 20 wing Christian Wade was the only major casualty before selection with a broken wrist sustained in a pre-season friendly for London Wasps that won’t heal in time to make the flight to India.

But another major influence is back in the shape of Fijian-born Isoa Damudamu, who has recovered from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the final stages of last season.

"He’s got that bit of Fijian magic about him – he’s a great handler, a big guy and can be very destructive," is the Gollings verdict.

"Chris Cracknell coming back offers us something different, he’s really physical. Kevin Barrett at nine is a great player, a great leader and it’ll be exciting to see him too after injury last year.

"In all there’s a good balance to the squad of ball players, physicality and speed and it’s nice that we’ve had the training time together to make the most of it. We haven’t had that in the past."

The Sevens universe will expand rapidly over the next six years, with Delhi followed by the expansion of the Sevens World Series in 2011, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 and then the sport’s first appearance in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Just how exciting that future is was hinted at in 2006 when England – with Mathew Tait their try-scoring cutting edge – were at the centre of the action.

"It’s a sensational tournament," said Gollings. "In Melbourne there were 150,000 fans in over the three days, the ground was packed and there was a great atmosphere.

"To win a gold at the Commonwealths you’ve got to beat the best teams and our run was Australia, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand.

"We slipped up against New Zealand in the final which was bitterly disappointing. To go all the way and get so close did hurt."

Australia are in England’s pool again this time with the key Day 1 game in Delhi following clashes with Sri Lanka and Uganda.

"It’s going to be a big game against Australia, who are a massively improved side, so that’s exciting," added Gollings.

"The other teams in our pool will cause us problems but hopefully we’ll be in the second day in a quarter final and pushing for the medal spots."