Players will still come together to compete in SVNS tournaments, but without financial backing their results are bound to take a nose-dive.

Where else have we seen three unions merging to form a single team? The Pacific islands occasionally, perhaps. Certainly the West Indies in cricket. But asking the English, Scottish and Welsh to combine efficiently was unreasonable.

The proof is in the pudding. Results have rarely risen above the mediocre.

You may be familiar with my criticisms going back across the years. My involvement with Sevens dates back to the Sixties, so this isn’t the attitude of a dyed-in-the-wool 15’s addict.

The way the operation has been conducted has often left me wide-eyed in disbelief. Changes in management have been as frequent as in players. Head coaches have come and gone, and up-to-date news has been hard to discover. Who was really in charge? Who was accountable? Well, one person, who now occupies a leading post, Charlie Hayter, was for a while. One position he held, ’Women’s and Sevens Performance Manager’, shows the unbalanced nature of management positions people were asked to occupy.

Then the selection of players: there were few signs of consistency. You could expect to see certain players picked regularly (Abbie Brown, Amy Wilson-Hardy, Emma Uren), but every squad announcement seemed to include an unexpected player. She might or might not be seen at the next tournament. Players have switched between 7s and 15s without any obvious pattern – Jasmine Joyce-Butchers and Jade Shekells are two recent examples.

GB’s ranking has rarely risen above sixth in the world; mostly it was around eighth. Given the shortage of funding (no government backing available), and the cost of covering three nations, the bosses have decided to cut their losses.

An early downturn was the RFU’s sudden withdrawal of contracts from its English players. That came like a thunderbolt, causing extreme distress to players. By the same token, it ensured a strengthening of the Red Roses enterprise which lasts till today.

We will feel immense sympathy for the players; we wait to see their reactions. The question then is: how many of them will remain faithful to 7s, and how many will switch across to 15s? That was one central consideration in the minds of the people who made the call.

While few, if any of the English players could hope to force their way into the national squad, the SRU and the WRU might be delighted to add a few more talented players to their strength.

Notice the absence of the initials IRFU. That was another cause of disruption to the GB cause. Ireland qualify for the Olympics under a different banner, so no Ulster player could hope to qualify for a GB and Northern Ireland squad. And the Irish men’s squad has recently been disbanded!

The enterprise comes to an end in July. Will Giselle Mather stay in post or look elsewhere?

The programme will run solely as a camp and competition model, with players coming together to train and play on the series.

The changes mean that though existing sevens contracts will finish as planned at the end of July, players will continue to be identified through their existing unions and selected to represent GB7s over the course of next season.

The remodelling has been driven both by continuing financial pressures associated with the sevens game and ongoing explorations as to the role the format can continue to play in player development systems across all three unions.

RFU Performance Director Conor O’Shea said: “With an increasingly congested sevens calendar and crossover opportunities with the 15s game reducing, we are taking time to review how best the format can work both from a player development and financial perspective. The intended new format will look at ways where crossover can happen more effectively in the men’s and women’s game while reducing some of the rising costs associated with competing on a global circuit.

“GB7s does not receive central Olympic funding, unlike many other unions it is competing with, and we believe the model the series is run under could be more financially effective for individual unions. This is something we are continuing to talk to World Rugby about.

“We understand the way in which player and coach contracts will change will be disappointing to many involved, and we will work closely with the Rugby Players Association to ensure that each of our players continues to be well supported and understands all the options available to them.”

Scottish Rugby Performance Director, David Nucifora said: “The financial structure of the World Series over the past few years has become increasingly challenging and placed strain on the GB7s approach, which we must remodel.

“We are committed in Scotland to the GB programme and finding a way to continue to add value as an important part of the Scottish player pathway and we hope that World Rugby will stay in dialogue with all Unions about finding a model that will allow the game to flourish, while we also continue to look at options which could enable Scotland to use sevens, and its global calendar, as a development environment for young, aspiring players.

“I’d like to thank the players and Scottish Rugby people who have worked in the GB7s set-up this season and understand today’s news will be disappointing for them personally and we will extend relevant support to them at this time. The programme though will continue in the revised model and provide future opportunities next season.”

Huw Bevan, Welsh Rugby Union Interim Performance Director. “We believe the camp-based approach we are taking will provide the best development opportunities for players from the men’s and women’s game given current financial constraints and the congested schedule. We will continue to work with the other unions and World Rugby to explore the on-going role sevens plays within our development pathway.

With thanks to the RFU

Mather is a distinguished figure in the world of rugby and brings her experience as a former player and a coach. She also received 34 caps for England, where she became a World Cup winner in 1994.

Mather has held numerous coaching roles in both the men’s and women’s games, including time with Wasps Women and London Irish men and was also the first woman to earn a Level 4 RFU coaching qualification.

Stepping into her new role, Mather said: “I am incredibly excited to take on this role with the Great Britain Rugby Sevens women’s team. Women’s rugby is on the rise globally, and to be a part of that trajectory and development at an international level is a fantastic opportunity. “I look forward to working with the talented group of players that we have and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve as a team.”

Ciaran Beattie, GB7s director of rugby added: “We are thrilled to welcome Giselle as the head coach of the women’s team. Her vast experience, vision, and passion for the sport make her the perfect fit for our programme. “We have no doubt that she will bring fresh energy and perspective to the team, helping to elevate our performance on the world stage.”

Mather joins GB7s from her previous role as director of rugby at Ealing Trailfinders, where she played a key part in the club securing a place in premiership women’s rugby last season, where the team finished sixth in their first season in the top tier.

To find out more about GB7s and their upcoming season you can find out more here: https://gbrugbysevens.com/

You can also follow the team on @GBrugbysevens and @GBRugbySevens.

Games will be streamed live and free on Rugby Europe TV here.

Kazan 7s Fixtures – 11 and 12 June 2016.

Match 1           8.00      France 51-0 Finland

Match 2           8.22      Netherlands 10-19 GB Royals

Match 3           8.44      Spain 12-7 Portugal

Match 4           9.06      GB Lions 48-0 Ukraine

Match 5           9.28      Ireland 31-0 Italy

Match 6           9.50      Russia 54-0 Belgium

Match 7           10.45    France 31-7 GB Royals

Match 8           11.07    Netherlands 26-7 Finland

Match 9           11.29    Spain 48-7 Ukraine

Match 10         11.51    GB Lions 40-0 Portugal

Match 11         12.13    Ireland 12-7 Belgium

Match 12         12.35    Russia 26-0 Italy

Match 13         13.30    France 35-10 Netherlands

Match 14         13.52    GB Royals 44-0 Finland

Match 15         14.14    Spain 0-64 GB Lions

Match 16         14.36    Ukraine 7-38 Portugal

Match 17         14.58    Italy 24-19 Belgium

Match 18         15.20    Russia 29-5 Ireland

Date two Fixtures & Results

Cup Quarter Finals

Match 19         08.00    France 17-0 Netherlands

Match 20         08.22    Russia 28-5 Portugal

Match 21         08.44    GB Lions 24-5 GB Royals

Match 22         09.06    Ireland 19-10 Spain

Bowl 

Match 23         09.28    Italy 15-12 Ukraine

Match 24         09.50    Belgium 31-12 Finland

Plate Semi Finals

Match 25         11.15    Netherlands 17-22 Spain

Match 26         11.37    Portugal 0-36 GB Royals

Cup Semi Finals

Match 27         11.59    France 28-12 Ireland

Match 28         12.21    Russia 19-17 GB Lions

11^th Place

Match 29         12.43    Ukraine 19-0 Finland

Bowl Final

Match 30         13.05    Italy 19-0 Belgium

7^th Place

Match 31         14.02    Netherlands 12-7 Portugal

Plate Final

Match 32             14.24     Spain 0-44 GB Royals

3^rd Place

Match 33             14.52     Ireland 0-32 GB Lions

Cup Final

Match 34               15.14     France 22-12 Russia

Site will be updated as results come in.