Scotland offer to lead on GB rugby sevens as cuts threaten the sport's future in UK

Scotland are offering to take the lead on international sevens rugby in Britain as the programme comes under threat due to cost cutting.

Alex Williamson, Scottish Rugby’s new chief executive, said Murrayfield would be prepared to devote more “time and energy” to the sport, host the squad and supply more players to the Great Britain team.

Williamson, who took over in January, believes Scotland is more emotionally invested in sevens than England and Wales due its historic ties. He has an ally in David Nucifora, Scottish Rugby’s performance director consultant, who is a big sevens fan and sees it as a way of identifying and developing talent.

Scotland winger Ross McCann in action for the Great Britain sevens team against Tonga during an Olympic repechage event in Monaco in 2024. GB men failed to qualify. | Getty Images

The future of international sevens in the UK was plunged into doubt last month after it was confirmed that the Great Britain men’s and women’s full-time teams programme will be scrapped in July. The unions say the decision has been driven by financial pressures.

The teams will continue to compete but with the players being selected from a so-called “camp and competition model”, with non-contracted players coming together to train and play in the World Series.

Williamson said that he and Nucifora had not given up on sevens remaining full-time.

Alex Williamson, Scottish Rugby's chief executive officer. | SNS Group

“We would really like there to be a fully-funded full-time sevens programme,” said the chief executive. “I'm sure you all know that David, to use finance phrasing, is long on sevens. He thinks it's a really important thing, particularly for a smaller union like ours because it provides excellent opportunities for young players and opens their minds to so many different skills.

“So, we would much prefer this to be a full-time programme, and we are working on that still, we haven't given up on that. And in that vein, we would happily take the lead on the programme if we can convince England and Wales to support us with that, and that's a negotiation we are in.

“I have no sense as to whether we will be successful with that, but if we can be then we would love to be at the front of that.”

Rugby sevens originated in Melrose in 1883 and the Borders circuit remains an important part of the rugby calendar in Scotland, with last month’s Melrose Sevens attracting international guest teams and a crowd of around 7,000. Williamson believes the strong Scottish connection to sevens makes it a natural fit.

“By its nature, and the fact that we are really strong on it while England and Wales for different reasons are not as interested, we would definitely put more time and energy into it, and probably player resource as well,” Williamson said.

“It’s a natural place for us to be. It is a Scottish game, we would love to be running round doing it. Everyone I have met is a lover of sevens and has got a willingness to invest, but only in Scotland.”

This year's Melrose Sevens attracted a crowd of around 7,000. The men's winners were the guest side Shogun who beat the hosts in the final. | Lisa Ferguson

A men’s Scotland national sevens team used to compete in the World Series but in 2022 they were subsumed into the GB team with England and Wales, with the aim of competing at the 2024 Olympics. However, the GB men failed to qualify for the Paris Games.

Williamson believes the immediate future of international sevens would continue to revolve around a GB team but would want Scotland to be at the vanguard.

“We should assume for the time being that it is a GB sevens programme, but it would be hosted by us and facilitated by us if we can. But that’s a work in progress and I wouldn’t want to give you the impression that it is highly likely because I’m not sure that it is.”