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Leeds Beckett graduate Emily Scarratt named Team GB sevens captain
Emily, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, will lead a squad of 12 players as the sport makes its Olympic debut alongside golf.
Team GB will face Canada, hosts Brazil and Japan at the pool stage. Other nations involved include Australia, United States, Fiji, Colombia, New Zealand, France, Spain and Kenya.
Emily will be looking to add to personal success in recent seasons, which has included finishing top points scorer at the 2014 Rugby World Cup as England claimed a first global crown in 20 years.
Emily, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Sport Science by our University’s School of Sport last year, said: “To wear the GB shirt and compete in the Olympics is a childhood dream that we are now, as a team, turning into reality.
“As a squad, we are looking forward to being among the first athletes to play rugby sevens on the world's biggest sporting stage. I am immensely proud to be representing Great Britain and introducing women's rugby to new audiences.”
Continuing our #Rugby heroes theme @EmilyScarratt has been named in the @TeamGB squad for @Rio2016_en! #AreYouReady? pic.twitter.com/OJoSQb9vmw
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) July 19, 2016
Team GB Head Coach (Women) Simon Middleton added: "This is a hugely exciting moment for women's rugby with sevens making its debut at the Olympic Games and we believe we have selected the best possible group of players to achieve success in Rio.
“The World Series this season proved how competitive the women's rugby sevens circuit is and we're very much looking forward to competing against the very best as a Team GB squad.
“The strength and depth of the wider training squad has not made the final selection easy. The players have been together since October and have trained so hard and really pushed the standards up of this group.
"I would like to thank the players who didn't make the final squad for their fantastic contribution and putting us in the best possible place to play in Rio.”
Team GB women’s sevens squad:
Claire Allan (England Sevens), Abbie Brown (England Sevens), Heather Fisher (England Sevens), Natasha Hunt (England Sevens), Jasmine Joyce (Wales Sevens), Katy McLean (England Sevens), Alice Richardson (England Sevens), Emily Scarratt (England Sevens), Emily Scott (England Sevens), Danielle Waterman (England Sevens), Joanne Watmore (England Sevens), Amy Wilson-Hardy (England Sevens)
Travelling reserves:
Megan Jones (England Sevens), Kay Wilson (England Sevens)