Rio Olympics 7s - Union Stars making the Olympic leap in search for Gold.

We’re little over a month away from welcoming back rugby to the Olympics, as 11 sides look to the win gold and dethrone the USA, who won it back in 1924 when they beat France and Romania to claim their place at the top of the podium.

There has been a lot written about the inclusion of these new sports in the games with many of the major golfers pulling out of contention for their nations. Fortunately it was been quite the opposite with the rugby sevens. Many stars of the fifteen-a-side game have seen the appeal of representing their respective nations in Rio De Janeiro and this had led to a wonderful headache for some of the coaches.

Obviously seven and fifteen-a-side are very different, but in the past, many players learnt and perfected their skills in the sevens format before moving on and some of those players are now returning to their roots.

The squads haven’t been confirmed but here are just some of the names you may recognize and should be looking out for that have made the move over from 15s to 7s ahead of the Olympics.

Argentina

After a mightily impressive Rugby World Cup campaign, Los Pumas have turned a few heads and they will be hoping to do the same at the biggest stage of all, the Olympics. Unfortunately for the side, the Rugby Championship begins just a few days after the Olympics, so not all their stars may be available but they have recruited well so far.

Juan Imhoff, Matias Moroni and Santiago Cordero have all been earmarked for an inclusion which would give the side a serious boost. Cordero was one of the stars of the World Cup, with his lightning quick feet and electric pace causing havoc throughout. Experience is also crucial and Imhoff has that in abundance with his stellar career just going from strength to strength in Paris. They are in a group with Fiji, USA and hosts Brazil, so it won’t be easy but they could be an underdog to keep an eye on come August.

Fiji

As if the ‘Flying Fijians’ needed any more help, but they have got it and Ben Ryan is simply spoilt for choice. A lot has been spoken about Jarryd Hayne, who has swapped the NRL and then NFL for a shot at Olympic gold, but that seems highly unlikely given his debut in London. It is the Toulon winger Josua Tuisova who interests me greatly and I firmly believe he will be a star of the game with Rio being the platform to showcase his skills.

Tuisova has been running over defenders for fun in the Top14 and reminds me of Rupeni Caucau in his heyday, but he has swapped a little bit of pace for even more power. A terrifying thought for any defenders and he could be playing alongside the unbelievable Leone Nakawara whose unique offloads and wide array of skills have secured him a big money move away from Glasgow to the shiny lights of Paris with Racing Metro. You may also recognize Stade Francais winger Waisea Nayacalevu, if he makes the plane but if not I am sure Savenaca Rawaca will be there and that is a name to remember ahead of him joining Saracens next season.

France

At one stage it was looking like there was going to be a mass exodus of Top 14 players heading into the French squad to try stake their claim, but Remy Grosso has sadly recently dropped out, not that he, or anyone else, could displace the wonderful Virimi Vakatawa.

Both Sofiane Guitone and Marvin O’Connor are in camp trying to prove their worth and after great years for their respective clubs, it wouldn’t surprise me if they make the plane. Another interesting call is Fulgence Ouedraogo. The superb Montpellier flanker brings a lot of experience in both formats of the game, but will also be more than capable of keeping up with the pace of the game thanks to his enormous work rate. His skills at the breakdown could secure enough ball to ignite a thrilling back line.

Great Britain

There is nothing worse than the off-season for us rugby fans and that has been shortened in recent times thanks to the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s. Many of the best players from the game illustrate their skills in this tournament and it has paid off with a number of them now included in the initial Olympic squad.

Joe Simpson was the best scrum half in England before injury ruined his season with Wasps, but his electric pace makes him an obvious choice for Rio and he will be hoping to secure his place on the plane in the coming weeks.

James Davies is the name that caught my eye the most in the squad. The Scarlets flankers it the younger brother of Jonathan Davies and may be just as skilful. He is awfully unlucky to miss out on the World Cup training squad, but he got over it by tattooing the words ‘Cubby Boi’ on his knuckles and continued his stellar season with Llanelli. The ability to turnover the ball is crucial in Sevens and Davies can do that and then set Simpson and Mark Bennett away to Olympic glory!

New Zealand

I was hoping to write about Ardie Savea in this piece, but he has made his All Blacks debut and looks to be a big part of Steve Hansen’s future plans. Even without the younger brother of ‘the bus’, the squad is looking frighteningly impressive and it could be another set of brothers who are on the lips of everyone in World Rugby after the Olympics.

Rieko and Akira Ioane both ply their trade for the Auckland Blues in Super Rugby and they are shining lights in a side that has struggled. Akira is the older brother and is a powerful ball running back rower, with Reiko being the gracious runner you will find out wide and finishing tries with ease. Everyone knows about Sonny Bill Williams and I’m sure he will be involved, but it is his good mate from Counties Manukau Augustine Pulu who should be supplying the ball form scrum half and the nippy nine is perhaps less well known than some of the other players but is a star in the making.

Australia

Sadly this is a short paragraph because there are very few household 15s names who will be in Rio trying to take a gold medal down under. Henry Speight, Nick Cummins and Quade Cooper have all played on the circuit in recent times, but due to injury and a dip in form they have all been excluded ahead of the Olympics. But that is by no means a reflection of the Aussies chances, as they have one of the strongest specialist sevens teams in the competition, and you can be sure they will be in the running for medals come August.

South Africa

Arguably the most exciting side on the Sevens circuit are the Blitzbokke and somehow they have become even more of a threat by bringing in four 15-a-side internationals to boost their chances. Ryan Kankowski will bring some bulk to the pack but has lightning pace and he is joined by Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard and Juan De Jongh.

I would be highly surprised if all four of these players make the trip given the number of sevens specialist already in the squad, like Cecil Afrika and Seabelo Senatla. One final union star is the diminutive Stormers fullback Cheslin Kolbe. This man quite literally has fireworks in his shoes and a jetpack on his back. He has played a lot of sevens in his past and he could help them recover from what has a been a relatively quiet one and turn it into something magical.

Written by Ollie Silverton for www.TheRugbyPod.com