GB Sevens part-time stars’ search for their sport

Brown, 30, is one of the marquee players for Ultimate Sevens, a new short-form sevens start-up circuit launching in September.

It will consist of four events, staged in Madrid, Cardiff, Biarritz and London, featuring 10-minute knockout matches, with optional timeouts rather than the usual half-time break, contested by six newly minted teams.

Tom Mitchell, who captained Great Britain Sevens at two Olympics, is the event’s sport and innovations director.

While R360, a breakaway 15s event, floundered in the face of opposition from existing unions and a lack of World Rugby ratification, Mitchell aims to complement the existing calendar, rather than disrupt it.

“Underneath it all is a massive passion for helping the sport to thrive and succeed as well, because I know it can,” he said.

“I’m not coming in here saying that Ultimate Sevens is the white knight and the saviour of a sport. It’s not about that.

“It’s about us contributing additional opportunity, both in playing time but also financial opportunity, for players and coaches.

“That might mean relieving some of the pressure on the international programmes as well.”

Certainly plenty of Brown and Boatman’s Great Britain team-mates are taking up the chance of top-level action on their doorstep.

Fifteen of their colleagues, including Svns rookie of the year nominee Finley Lloyd-Gilmour, are joining them in Ultimate Sevens.

The benefit is not just Britain’s though.

Australia’s Maddison Levi and Argentina’s Luciano Gonzalez are part of the international cast of stars, with the series coming to a crescendo at Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford on 24 September.

Will Jones, who co-captained Great Britain Sevens alongside Brown in the past, be there to repay the support her friend has given her during World Cup and Six Nations campaigns?

“Meg is definitely going to be there with a sign for you Abbie,” says Mitchell.

“Even if she is training she’ll bring the crew down!”

“She’d better do – I’ll be having words if she doesn’t!” says Brown.

Sevens is still drawing back 15-a-side stars, even if it is now in the stands, rather than in studs.