Great Britain optimistic for future despite opening day exit at Dubai Sevens: ‘The only way we’re going is up’

There was a time when a first day exit from the Dubai Sevens for the leading representative side from the British Isles would have prompted debate about whether the short-form programme was worth the effort at all.

The performance of the Great Britain side on the opening day of the 2025 HSBC SVNS did precisely the opposite, though.

The GB side missed out on a place in Sunday’s cup semi-finals after narrow defeats to New Zealand and Australia.

But their display in each of those losses, as well as in the uplifting 14-10 win over last year’s runners-up, Spain, belied the fact their players had been together for less than a week.

GB only just retained their place as a core side after finishing eighth on the world series last season. World Rugby then controversially capped the new series at eight teams.

But even though the place was available to GB, doubts still persisted over their survival – and what form it would take.

New Zealand's Tone Ng Shiu, on ground, is tackled by Ethan Waddleton and Brent Jackson of Great Britain at the Dubai Sevens. AFP

This summer it appeared as though the GB programme might go the same way as that of Ireland’s men, and be disbanded completely.

Wales and England pulled their support. Scotland stepped in to save the project, meaning GB sevens is now run from there, with the majority of the players being drawn from there, as well as the coaching staff.

Still, uncertainty has persisted. “There’s a reality to it,” Ciaran Beattie, the GB coach, said.

“As a group, we arrived on Monday. We had a light mapping session on Tuesday, and that was the first time the 13 had worked together.

“We'd trained for four days prior, and obviously we've got a couple of guys with experience as well, but I’d have bitten your arm off if you’d given me this [start] to begin with.

“However, I think when you're in the moment, we're competitive animals. There were some bits in both of our losses where we feel we could have crossed the line. That's a good feeling.

“Everybody is feeling like, ‘Goodness me; we coulda, shoulda, woulda,’ which is nice. We need to back it up tomorrow [in the plate competition] for us to go, ‘Do you know what?