Sport | Rugby

Gollings set to bow out of Sevens

Ben Gollings, the leading points scorer in the history of the IRB World Sevens Series, could be about to bow out from the short form of the game.

  • By Steve Hill, Correspondent
  • Published: 23:35 May 3, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Megan Hirons/Gulf News
  • International Invitation team Stefan BHF faces off against the formidable Kentz Drifters on the first day of the Dubai Rugby Sevens.
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Dubai: Ben Gollings, the leading points scorer in the history of the IRB World Sevens Series, could be about to bow out from the short form of the game.

The 26-year-old is determined to help England clinch a third successive Dubai title and will also travel with the squad to next week's second leg of the new series in South Africa.

But after spells playing in Australia and New Zealand, Gollings has signed for ambitious National One club Doncaster in an effort to relaunch his 15s career back home. And that may mean an end to his long spell in the England squad.

The fly-half said: "These might be my last two tournaments for a while, I'll see how things pan out when I get back to the UK. "I do want to concentrate on 15s but I'll never turn down the chance to play sevens for England if I can."

In the meanwhile, Gollings will be doing his best to add to his formidable world series total of 1,568 points, which is 332 more than ever-green rival Waisale Serevi.

Gollings recently came desperately close to earning a Super 14 contract after a spell playing for Tasman in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.

And he hopes to make that experience count as England aim to get off to another winning start to the series.

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This year's Dubai event appears to be the most open for a while. England have named seven new caps in their squad of 12 and, despite being able to call on Gollings and captain fantastic Simon Amor, face stiff competition in their bid to make it three in a row.

Fiji, beaten finalists for the last two years, have already made clear that they want to start their defence of the World Series title on a winning note.

With the magical Serevi concentrating only on playing duties for this event and rising star William Ryder again on board, the islanders will surely want to record their first ever success at this event.

But the team to watch could well be South Africa. Paul Treu's side have been dogged by bad luck here for three years but this time round appear to have the experience and continuity to mount a concerted title charge.

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