England change for Glasgow
Dan Bibby is set to win his first cap after being named in the England squad for this weekend’s penultimate leg of the IRB Sevens World Series in Glasgow.
The UWIC playmaker heads for his first tournament with former England Under-20 wing Mark Odejobi in the squad for the first time this season and Chris Cracknell returning from injury.
The three changes from the last leg in Tokyo see them take over from Harlequins wing Charlie Walker, injured playmaker Christian Lewis-Pratt and former captain Greg Barden, who has retired.
England students fullback Bibby, 21, has trained with the squad all season and the former Fylde player impressed for Sale Sharks last year when named Player of the Tournament at the Edgeley Park leg of the JP Morgan Premiership Sevens.
Odejobi ruptured an Achilles tendon last year and spent six months in rehab before rejoining the group in January while Cracknell had been ever-present in the squad this season before sitting out the last leg of the series in Tokyo with a shoulder injury.
“Dan Bibby’s an exciting talent who’s definitely one for the future and he’s trained with us throughout the season, including appearing in our warm-up tournament in Spain on the eve of the series,” said head coach Ben Ryan.
“It’s been a long road back for Mark Odejobi who played for us last season. He’s worked very hard to get fit and he’s trained well to keep out two very experienced sevens players in [former captain] Andy Vilk and Simon Hunt. It’s great to have Chris Cracknell back after missing him in Tokyo too.”
England are fourth in the series going into the final two legs at Scotstoun in Glasgow – a new venue – and the Marriott London Sevens at Twickenham (May 12-13).
They face Kenya, the USA and Australia on Saturday in the pool stages with Ryan eager for his fourth-placed side to finish on a high in a competitive series in which New Zealand, Fiji, England, Samoa and Australia have all won individual tournaments.
“We’re pretty excited about the next two legs, the squad has trained well and we want to finish well and start building towards next season,” said Ryan
“It’s always good to come to a new venue – the latest great world city to be added to the series. It’ll be well organised by Scotland, and we’re expecting a great atmosphere and energetic support.”
England: Dan Bibby, John Brake, Chris Brightwell, Chris Cracknell, Sam Edgerley, Tom Mitchell, Dan Norton, Mark Odejobi, Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Mathew Turner, Rob Vickerman.
