Boots and all | Underperforming England must step up and focus on Rio, says former captain

Like most players, former England sevens captain Ollie Phillips is also dreaming of competing at the Rio Olympics when rugby sevens makes its debut.

A dashing playmaker, Phillips has not represented England for two seasons or more due to a nasty calf injury, but despite his age, 32, the IRB International Sevens Player of the Year in 2009 is resolute that he can win back his place in the England side for Rio.

“I’m a very determined human being and I will be doing everything to try and overcome my injury and get myself back on the field,” Phillips said while in town last week during the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour.

While his injury has prevented him from playing the game, it has not meant he has been stuck at home. Phillips took part in the latest Clipper Race which ended in July after circumnavigating the globe.

His absence from the Red Rose sevens set-up seems to have left a huge vacuum, with the team struggling to make an impact this season on the HSBC Sevens World Series. After the first three legs – Australia, Dubai and South Africa – England are lying in sixth place in the standings, nine points behind fourth-placed Australia.

With the top four teams qualifying directly for the Rio Olympics, this season’s series has taken on added significance. England was nominated by the rest of the Home Unions as the team to carry qualifying hopes for Great Britain.

The traditional powers from the southern hemisphere have filled the top four spots. South Africa, winner of the last two legs, including last weekend on home turf, top the standings with 59 points, followed by Fiji (51), New Zealand (47) and Australia (46).