Good to see women winning more awards

It WAS disappointing that Team GB women's sevens side were unable to get any medals that we all thought they would. With a number of the team from England's World Cup runners-up squad in the 15s game, it was almost unthinkable that they would not get a medal of some sort.

- JEFF PROBYN

Losing to the USA in the quarter-final seemed to go against the run of play. Team GB won the first half 7-5, but failed to capitalise on their advantage and saw USA score two tries in the second half to win the game.

The game of sevens requires a different skillset to the 15s game; even players like myself used to enjoy the space that playing sevens opened up for us. It allowed us to run with the ball rather than being in a constant physical battle to secure it for the backs to either drop or knock on, or occasionally run with.

It's a pity there seems to be fewer sevens competitions than when I played. Sevens was a signal that the season was coming to an end, with clubs at all levels holding competitions, it was really like a fun day out.

It's good to see that the Middlesex Sevens have at last recovered from Covid and have renewed the competition which next season will include a women's team section as well.

I was the guest speaker at the Essex County Dinner last week and was pleased to see the increase in the number of women's teams winning awards and it was good to meet a mixture of players male and female representing many clubs from across the county.

Speaking to some of the club presidents it became apparent that the increase in women playing in the grassroots game has made a huge impact on club finances, by replacing a number of teams lost at that level in the men's game due to the declining number of men taking part in the game.