GB Sevens have announced their squads for the Dubai 7s (26/27 November).
Women’s head coach Scott Forrest has named a 13-player group.
Fresh from their success in Vancouver and Edmonton in September, where they won both ‘Fast Four’ events, GB are drawn in Pool B alongside Olympic bronze medallists Fiji, Canada, Ireland and Russia.
Heather Cowell is selected after making her senior XVs debut in England Women’s autumn internationals. Meanwhile, Jasmine Joyce (Wales) and Lisa Thomson (Scotland) also return from XVs involvement in the Autumn fixtures.
Wasps’ Ellie Boatman and Gloucester-Hartpury’s Kelly Smith receive their maiden GB Sevens call-ups and join six of those who represented Team GB in Tokyo in the summer.
Forrest said: “There’s a nice consistency to the squad off the back of Canada which helps us in terms of building on the performances we had in Vancouver and Edmonton
“Lisa Thomson comes back in having missed the Canada trip which is brilliant.
“Ellie Boatman and Kelly Smith have come in over the last few weeks, they have really impressed and deserve their call-ups. A thanks should go to the wider co-operation of the unions and Allianz Premier 15s clubs for enabling players to have this international sevens opportunity on the big stage.
“This group of players have created a really open and honest culture, it’s been exciting to see that grow over the last month and it’s great to be able to take that to Dubai.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience since coming together at the start of the year. We’ve developed even more and are in a better place post-Tokyo. The players have left GB in a better place for when it returns.”
Pool B schedule
Friday 26 November
Great Britain 7s v Russia 7s, 09.00 local time/05.00 UK time
Great Britain 7s v Ireland 7s, 12.34 local time/08.34 UK time
Saturday 27 November
Great Britain 7s v Canada 7s, 10.06 local time/06.06 UK time
Fiji 7s v Great Britain 7s, 13.07 local time/09.07 UK time
GB Women’s squad
Ellie Boatman (England and Wasps)
Abbie Brown (C; England and Loughborough Lightning)
Abi Burton (England and Wasps)
Shona Campbell (Scotland and Edinburgh Uni)
Heather Cowell (England and Harlequins)
Grace Crompton (England and Bristol Bears)
Meg Jones (C; England and Wasps)
Jasmine Joyce (Wales and Bristol Bears)
Alicia Maude (England and Gloucester-Hartpury)
Kelly Smith (England and Gloucester-Hartpury)
Lisa Thomson (Scotland and Sale Sharks)
Emma Uren (England and Saracens)
Amy Wilson Hardy (England and Wasps)
With thanks to England Rugby
