Thursday 1st February 2007
Standing in the middle of the pitch at Wellington’s famous and intimidating Westpac Stadium, just 24 hours before England’s most challenging leg of the IRB Sevens, would fill even the toughest rugby player with fear. But not Gloucester’s Mark Foster or Northampton’s David Smith. The two youngsters are England’s two uncapped players ahead of Friday’s IRB Sevens in New Zealand and are full of excitement, not fear, as the clock ticks down towards kick off. It is a tournament that England have never won, and the two new boys know that this time England are determined to put previous poor form in the past and claim the trophy.
Mark, 23, admits he was quite shocked at his last minute call up to the England Sevens team. “I had never really considered sevens to be something I would get involved with and out of the blue England Sevens coach Ben Ryan called one of the Gloucester coaches and asked if I wanted to play. I have played bits and pieces of sevens before, and enjoy the excitement of the game, so I was thrilled to be given this opportunity with England. It is certainly one of the highlights of my rugby career so far.”
“I have worked with Ben before when I was on loan to Newbury (where Ben is Director of Rugby), and as an outside back I guess I suit sevens. I really want to use my time with the squad to work on my isolated skills and one on one contact skills. As a winger you are sometimes very exposed and I want to learn how to use that space in sevens and apply it to my XVs game.”
“There are a number of Gloucester boys here with myself, Luke Narraway and Rob Thirlby, so there is some good banter. Luke is a very good friend of mine, not just from Kingsholm but when we used to play England Schools together, so I had a chat with him before I came to find out what to expect.”
Mark has played regular first team rugby at Kingsholm and is enjoying his time at the west country club. “My season is going pretty well at Gloucester. I had an injury at the start of the season but since then it is so far so good and I have been playing a lot. We have been really successful as a side, and Dean Ryan and Bryan Redpath have created a really good team atmosphere.”
It was a similar, last minute call up for Saints winger David Smith, who began his rugby with Colchester Under 9s. David has played England Under 18s and 19s but, other than Middlesex Sevens, is a relative newcomer to the shortened version of the game. “My selection was a surprise as I was just suddenly called into training last week, and then told I was coming to Wellington and San Diego. I haven’t played that much sevens as my school focused on XVs, but I have enjoyed the sevens I have played and really enjoyed the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham in the summer.”
At just 18 David is a relative newcomer to professional rugby having joined the Saints Academy from Colchester Royal Grammar School last year. He is a member of the RFU’s Intermediate National Academy and has played England Under 19s, but has yet to play a premiership game for Saints. He says, “I think I am ready for international sevens and am grateful that the coaches obviously agree and have selected me. I am looking forward to embracing the challenge given to me. I may only be 18 but I have learned a lot from playing with the Under 19s and as one of the older players in that squad I feel I have learned a lot of leadership skills which will help me take responsibility on the sevens field.”
“My ambition at the start of the season was to have a solid season for the A league and to play well with the England Under 19s, but now I have definitely added further England Sevens tournaments to my list of objectives for this season.”
Wellington is a notoriously hostile place for England to play rugby, and only Fiji and New Zealand have ever won the tournament. Last year England were knocked out of the main competition but won the Plate competition. Over 30,000 New Zealanders will pack into the stadium, known locally as the cake tin, in a throng of fancy dress, colour and noise. The general rule is always cheer for anyone….except the English. David is adamant that the atmosphere will not detract from his performance. “I think everyone gets nervous ahead of big tournaments simply because of the scale of the occasion and the importance of what is at stake. The stadium looks awesome and I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.”
Mark appears as excited as his young team mate, saying “I really want to go out and play well in this tournament, and be noticed. If you play well for your club then you are more likely to be selected for England and it works both ways. Playing well in sevens will only help me in my rugby with Gloucester. This tournament in particular is a massive international stage for all of us. We have put in a lot of hard work on the training pitch with the limited time we have had over here and now everyone is excited about getting onto the pitch at Westpac and proving to everyone that we are the best sevens side in the world.”
England begin their Wellington Sevens quest tomorrow morning (Friday 2nd February).
Ends.
|
