Young English rugby sevens stars Alex Davis and Ruaridh McConnochie have the potential to become two of the best players in the world, according to their international captain, and Olympic silver medalist, Tom Mitchell.
Speaking as Oxford University Rugby Club enter their final stages of preparation for the much-anticipated Varsity Clash 2016 Mitchell, a former Oxford Blue, is also backing England to improve on last season’s 8th-place World Rugby Seven Series finish. The Rose kicked off their 2016/17 campaign with a third-place finish in Dubai last week.
“Alex and Ruaridh both came out of university, got a year of World Series rugby under their belts, and now they will probably push on to become some of the best players in the World Series,” Mitchell said.
“That’s hugely exciting for us as an England team, and that excitement is added to by the fact that we’ve got a young academy group this year who are really pushing for places already. It is still early in the season at this point, and so that sets us up well for a very good year.”
The emergence of a new crop of exciting English sevens talent could not have come at a better time, what with the continued popularity of the World Rugby Sevens Series, as well as Great Britain’s success at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Although unfancied to be in medal contention in Rio — having been drawn in a tough qualifying pool along with Japan and rugby heavyweights New Zealand — Team GB upset the odds by making it all the way to the final, where they were eventually beaten by a rampant Fiji.
“It was a phenomenal experience for all of us who played,” said Mitchell, a stalwart of the English 7s team, who topped the scoring charts in the 2013/14 World Series with a huge 358 points.
“I think one of the biggest fears we had prior to the Games was that maybe the sport wouldn’t be that well received on the biggest stage. But I don’t know why we were worried, because when we came back everyone was commenting on what an amazing spectacle it was and how they were really interested in it.
“It is brilliant for rugby in general, and the Olympics has really propelled sevens and has got people interested in the game.”
Many of the stars of rugby sevens began their career playing the 15-man game, and Mitchell is no different. He began his career in union playing at centre and fly-half, and helped Oxford to beat Cambridge 28-10 in the 2011 Varsity Match by scoring their third and final try.
Mitchell still remembers the day well, and was on hand to watch his former team put the Major Stanley’s XV to the sword, as they ran out 39-5 winners.
“(Playing in a Varsity Match) was just the best experience,” said Mitchell.
“Playing at Twickenham is the dream of everybody who grows up playing rugby in this country, and the whole experience was just so fulfilling, even aside from the fact that we won.
“The whole experience is just a great memory, and it definitely gave me memories that I will carry with me for a very long time.”
Tickets for the 2016 Varsity Match between Cambridge and Oxford, to be played at Twickenham, are still available from The Varsity Match website.
