Down Under countries can pick who they like - I'm on about the GB team

And why should RU pick a RL player to play? Maybe you think we should allow some sprinters, footballers or RU players to play for England RL? They are different sports, we have not right to expect our players to be picked to play Int level for another code.

We have no right, true, the question is though, do we want to win?

I remember the Bulls doing some work in Union 7s at Twickers, when they utterly humiliated all-comers. I find it outrageous to suggest that if RL got involved, there would be even a single RU player worthy of a place in the Olympic team. The RL lads may not know how to play RU very well, but as the Bulls showed, it doesn't actually matter.

Still one of the most enjoyable days out I can remember, that was

Here's the Olympic RU 7s team off the top of my head - unless you can think of a better one?

Sam Tomkins
Ryan Hall
Rob Burrow
Josh Charnley
Ben Westwood
James Roby
Jamie Langley

Subs
Jones-Bishop
Sinfield
Ablett
Wilkin
Bateman
Lomax
Yeaman
T.Briscoe
Crabtree
Whitehead
Bateman

And that's just straight off the top of my head, without even thinking about it. We could pick a squad to annihilate the Union lads, whoever they put out.

Odd that since the Bulls' rout, they've never invited us back!

Only 'cos you couldn't afford the train fare.

Agree. (Especially after watching Wigan ease up on Bath at Man City's ground that time - so they didn't exceed 100 points!)

But I am trying to be realistic on the basis that RL players shouldn't be excluded from the recognition etc.

The people who pick the Barbarians RU team set a recent precedent by picking Sam Tomkins for their team.

I just think we should aim to build on it. The best outcome realistically is that we get RL players comprising up to half the Team GB squad for the next Olympics.

There are plenty of strong 7s teams in World Rugby.
A combined League and Union team would not find the All Blacks or even Fiji, Aus or SA an easy proposition.
The All Blacks backs are as good as any Athletes in either code.

Pretty much missing the point that Sevens is almost a seperate sport with its own identity (HSBC World Sevens Series), bearing little relationship to the 15 or 13 a side games, with very few "top grade" cross-over players.

Hence, I'd say he's either a bit bored now the season is finished, or very ill informed thinking that Sevens is just something that you can pick up to play off-season.

Personally don't want to see it. It is rugby union 7's and all it would do is make league look like 2nd rate with our top player all declaring themselves available. You wanna play union 7's, no problem. Just sign for a union team and leave the sport of rugby league. Wouldn't it be better if sam and other people in rugby league tried to talk up the 9's game and get that moving somewhere. Also read this.. wouldn't this be the same in england? www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/nrl-s ... 6494199289

Personally don't want to see it. It is rugby union 7's and all it would do is make league look like 2nd rate with our top player all declaring themselves available. You wanna play union 7's, no problem. Just sign for a union team and leave the sport of rugby league. Wouldn't it be better if sam and other people in rugby league tried to talk up the 9's game and get that moving somewhere. Also read this.. wouldn't this be the same in england? www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/nrl-s ... 6494199289

The only worries are if the Roos get involved too. After all, you'd think Australia would be desperate for medals in 2016, and they have the best rugby players in the world by some margin. Players like Slater, Barba, Inglis, Hayne and so on would destroy anything in 7s.

ETA: I don't buy the guy above, it's damn similar. If players can go from 13s to 15s in a year, it'll take a week max to get to 7s. They have all the skills already.

buggo and shiny are way out, they betray the sort of misguided thinking that got the RU lads to make the mistake of inviting a RL side to the Middlesex Sevens. They won't make the same mistake again.

Quote: Ferocious Aardvark "We have no right, true, the question is though, do we want to win? I remember the Bulls doing some work in Union 7s at Twickers, when they utterly humiliated all-comers. I find it outrageous to suggest that if RL got involved, there would be even a single RU player worthy of a place in the Olympic team. The RL lads may not know how to play RU very well, but as the Bulls showed, it doesn't actually matter. Still one of the most enjoyable days out I can remember, that was www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4piQYfzAzI First try is hilarious he literally stops and pushes the little Wasp's lad down

Quote: Ferocious Aardvark "We have no right, true, the question is though, do we want to win? I remember the Bulls doing some work in Union 7s at Twickers, when they utterly humiliated all-comers. I find it outrageous to suggest that if RL got involved, there would be even a single RU player worthy of a place in the Olympic team. The RL lads may not know how to play RU very well, but as the Bulls showed, it doesn't actually matter. Still one of the most enjoyable days out I can remember, that was www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4piQYfzAzI First try is hilarious he literally stops and pushes the little Wasp's lad down

I loved the Wigan and Bulls victories in Middlesex 7’s but we have to realistic here – the game of Union 7’s has developed a lot in the last 5 years or so and is now full of big strong athletes who have been selected because of their suitability. I don’t doubt that any decent RL team would put together a side to challenge the best 7’s teams but it isn’t a given. What I do think though is that they would change the way that 7’s is played – the teams still try and go round the opposition too often with lateral passing whereas the league teams go straight and break the line through off loading

Anyway, take a look at how many of the Wigan side that won the Middlesex 7’s ended up in Union and be careful what you wish for

Its not just about athletic ability.

It also includes handling skills, passing skill, offensive awareness, offloading, having the skill to turn in the tackle to find the offload, support play, being able to see the space in the defensive line to break.

This is where the league boys are head and shoulders still even against the specialist England seven players

Which is pretty much what I meant when I said they would change the game is played. Out of curiosity, what is the difference between ‘handling skills’ and ‘passing skill’? Or , ‘offensive awareness’ and ‘being able to see the space in the defensive line to break’? Or for that matter, ‘offloading’ and ‘having the skill to turn in the tackle to find the offload’?