Tokyo Olympic Games: New York Giants’ and Hong Kong Sevens player Nate Ebner targets US rugby sevens spot

Ebner says he’s still bothered by the US’s failure to medal at the 2106 Games in Rio

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Reuters

Published: 4:50pm, 16 Mar 2021

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New York Giants safety Nate Ebner is keen to win a spot on the US rugby sevens team for the Tokyo Olympics after failing to get on the podium with the squad in Rio.

Ebner, who won the NFL Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2015, 2017 and 2019 before joining the Giants last year, said failing to advance from the group stage in 2016 was something that still bothered him.

“Not winning a medal, especially when I thought that we had the team to do it, and as I look at the growth in the last five years, we definitely have an even better chance this time around,” he added.

“It’s something I would really like to be a part of.”

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Ebner, who has played in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Sevens as well as the HKFC 10s, will join a group of around 30 players trying out for the 12 spots on the US team coached by Mike Friday.

The 32-year-old hopes to return to the Giants once his Olympic stint comes to an end.

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“Obviously, you have to assess where you’re at,” he said. “But you would hope within a week of competition I’m back and I’m in shoulder pads and a helmet and I’m out there trying to get us ready to win some football games.”

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