Commonwealth Games England today announced the Rugby Sevens team that will compete for England at the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (23 July – 3 August 2014).

The squad includes eight players who will make their Commonwealth Games debuts while John Brake, Dan Norton, Tom Powell and James Rodwell bring the experience of having competed in the 2010 Delhi Games.

Eight players featured in the side that finished third at the Marriott London Sevens, the final event of the HSBC Sevens World Series in May, while Brake and Mike Ellery have recovered from injuries in time to be selected.

IRB Sevens Player of the Year nominee and last season’s highest point scorer, Tom Mitchell continues as captain, having taken on the role in January.

Charlie Hayter who recently signed for England Sevens from Wasps, and London Scottish captain Mark Bright, earn their places after impressing in the first two rounds of the FIRA-AER European Grand Prix Series.

England captain Tom Mitchell said: “Glasgow 2014 has been on the horizon for a long time and we’ve been working hard towards this one goal for a while.  It’s nice to know selection has now been made and we can start to get that extra bit of focus as the event draws near.

“Our preparations since the end of the World Series have been really well managed.  Training has been very specific and tailored to ensure we peak at the Commonwealths.  We’ve also worked on a lot of on-field things, both tactically and technically, that we needed to improve on from last season.

“The event will be a totally new experience for all the boys and that comes with its own challenges, which we recognise and are prepared for.  It is a huge opportunity to mix with other sports and it will be great to see how other athletes operate and to learn from them.”

Tom Powell,who will make his second appearance at a Commonwealth Games added: “I was over the moon being selected.  Coming fourth in Delhi was tough, it is the worst position to finish in and this is a chance to put that right.  Our preparations are building nicely, we will have some very challenging games but there is a lot of belief in this squad.

“The multisport element makes the Commonwealth Games completely different from our normal competitions.  It will have a great atmosphere and I think off the back of the home Olympics there will be huge support making it an extra special event to be part of.”

Team England Chef de Mission Jan Paterson said: "I'd like to extended a very warm welcome to the Rugby Sevens squad and their selection means Team England is now complete.

"The sevens is a hugely competitive sport within the Commonwealth Games family and I know this team can do England proud."

England Sevens Head Coach, and silver medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Simon Amor said: “The squad selected has a very good balance of speed, playmaking ability, physicality and the all-important X-factor.

“With players returning from long-term injuries the competition for places has been particularly strong. This has raised the performances in training and the attitude throughout the team has been excellent. We will be looking to bring the experiences and progress made throughout the Sevens World Series to Glasgow.”

“Being part of the bigger team that is Team England at the Commonwealth Games, is a unique experience in a very different environment from the one the players are used to on the world circuit.  You feed off other sports’ successes, see other athletes there and the sheer scale of the village and the competition make it a wonderful occasion.”

The team in full is as follows:

Name

Lives

From

Daniel Bibby

London

Wigan

John Brake

Woking

London

Mark Bright

Twickenham

Nelson, New Zealand

Philip Burgess

Farnborough

Frimley

Michael Ellery

London

Penrith

Charles Hayter

London

Bath

Christian Lewis-Pratt

London

London

Tom Mitchell

London

Cuckfield

Daniel Norton

Bristol

Gloucester

Tom Powell

Weybridge

Rotherham

James Rodwell

Chertsey, Surrey

Wendover

Marcus Watson

Walton-on-Thames

Hillingdon


Rugby Sevens takes place at the Ibrox Stadium over the weekend of July 26-27th.

England will feature in Pool D and will play on Day One against Sri Lanka at 1:34pm, Uganda at 6:24pm and Australia at 9:48pm with coverage live on the BBC.