2016 World Sevens Series
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="582630" data-time="1464164720"><p>Ireland compete as an all-Ireland team for the Olympics so it is only Great Britain.</p></blockquote>
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Not exactly. I seem to recall this coming up on these forums before, so forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir - "Team GB" is the simplified branding for the GB and NI Olympic team. The Olympic Committee of Ireland has always viewed itself as an all-island body, and has at various times in its history got into disputes with the IOC over the IOC's unwanted use of political prefixes to the basic "Ireland". NI athletes are given the choice of competing for Team GB or Ireland, more by accident than design, as this article describes:<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_at_the_Olympics#Political_issues">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_at_the_Olympics#Political_issues</a> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Disgusted of TW" data-cid="582721" data-time="1464210739">
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<p>Not exactly. I seem to recall this coming up on these forums before, so forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir - "Team GB" is the simplified branding for the GB and NI Olympic team. The Olympic Committee of Ireland has always viewed itself as an all-island body, and has at various times in its history got into disputes with the IOC over the IOC's unwanted use of political prefixes to the basic "Ireland". NI athletes are given the choice of competing for Team GB or Ireland, more by accident than design, as this article describes:<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_at_the_Olympics#Political_issues">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_at_the_Olympics#Political_issues</a></p>
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<p>Right but I think in rugby the players have no choice.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="582728" data-time="1464212129"><p>Right but I think in rugby the players have no choice.</p></blockquote>
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I think that in theory NI rugby players have the same choice as any NI Olympian. In reality, I believe that the IRFU has negotiated (with the OCI and BOA?) that players tied to IRFU can only represent Ireland at the Olympics. So if Team GB wanted to select a rank outsider from NI, they'd be eligible; but of course that's never going to happen. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="583066" data-time="1464289176"><p>I suspect it will essentially England regardless of who is available. <br>
Heard something that they only had one of the champion Scotland team in contention for the team.<br>
Not sure there'd be many Taffs either.</p></blockquote>
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Based on what I saw at Twickers last Sunday, I hope not! I can only imagine that England were spectacularly different on the Saturday to beat Fiji. Against Scotland they looked leaden of foot and thought, very disappointing (nice smoked brisket roll from a stall outside the west stand, though, so the day had some good points too. Last list I saw there were four lads from the Scotland sevens team, plus Mark Bennett from the XVs. -
It must be Ruby Tui's day. Somebody should write a song about it...
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<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cjju6zCWEAAA8sR.jpg" alt="Cjju6zCWEAAA8sR.jpg"></p>
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<p>NZ v France to be played at 10.42pm tonight.</p> -
<p>Australia just won their Cup QF. That result is enough to secure the 2016 Sevens Series title.</p>
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<p>It's a pity that NZ and Oz meet in the SF and not the final.</p>
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<p>The other SF will be England against the winner of Canada v Fiji.</p>
