Pairs Olympics 2024: Team GB name England backs Ellie Kildunne and Megan Jones in rugby sevens squad

Great Britain have named England pair Ellie Kildunne and Megan Jones in their 12-strong women’s sevens squad for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

Both backs played an influential role as the Red Roses won a third consecutive Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam in April, before joining the sevens squad to begin Olympic preparation.

Kildunne, 24, was the top try-scorer in the Six Nations and was previously involved in a GB Sevens camp before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but chose to withdraw to make herself eligible for a professional XVs contract.

Wales winger Jasmine Joyce is also included, to become the first British rugby player to appear at three Olympic Games.

Joyce, 28, was one of Team GB’s key players at Rio and Tokyo as they lost the bronze medal match on both occasions.

Regular captain Abbie Brown was also trying to reach a third Olympics but misses out because of injury.

Emma Uren and Jones will play at their second Olympics after being involved in Tokyo.

The duo are joined by Amy Wilson Hardy, Ellie Boatman, Grace Crompton, Heather Cowell, Isla Norman-Bell, Jade Shekells, Lisa Thomson and Lauren Torley, who have all played representative rugby for England.

“It was extremely difficult to name 14 at this stage, as there are so many excellent players who have performed on the World Rugby SVNS stage to secure qualification for these Olympic Games,” GB head coach Ciaran Beattie said.

“We want to be competitive in Paris and approach each match as one that can be won, with the ultimate aim of medalling, at the same time being respectful of the huge quality of other teams.”

Team GB qualified for Paris 2024 last June after winning gold at the European Games.

The women’s sevens event at the Olympics starts on 28 July, with the GB men’s team needing to win the Olympic repechage tournament in Monaco this weekend to qualify.