England Sevens star Richard de Carpentier is urging the country’s best amateur players to come forward as entries open for the 2019 Secure Trading Sevens Series.

The 29-year-old won a silver medal at Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco last year.

Grassroots competitions are where it all begins , an environment where he believes players of all shapes and sizes get a chance to shine.

And De Carpentier wants England’s best amateurs to make the most of the competition, praising the inclusivity the sport can offer players of all abilities.

“You have to be in it to win it and give yourself a chance to perform,” he said.

“Sevens is always enjoyable and if you win, you get a chance to play against some of the best teams in the country.

“The Secure Trading Sevens Series is a chance for the teams to test themselves against the best from across the country, play in the finals and a chance to show your best rugby.

“The good thing about Sevens is how inclusive it is. You get big people like me, smaller, faster people and everything in-between. There is a role for everyone.

“It’s always tough but that’s the beauty of it. There are always some fast people, some slow people but that’s why it’s exciting to watch and even more exciting to play in.”

De Carpentier’s teammate Phil Burgess is keen to encourage as many amateur men’s and women’s clubs as possible to get involved in the competition, which is now in its fourth year.

The event has been streamlined for 2019, as teams compete in local qualifiers to earn ranking points with the most successful teams progressing to the National Finals in Nottingham.

And 30-year-old Burgess, who earned a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with Great Britain, believes it is the form of the sport which best helps to develop skills.

“The game is similar to XVs but with only seven players on the field it’s fast-paced and a lot to do with fitness,” said Burgess.

“People should get involved because it’s about the basics of rugby, it highlights the skill levels needed”.

“If you play XVs, playing sevens will only benefit you as a player. You work on those skills and generally, this is when you’re very fatigued, so it will only make players better in the XVs environment”.

“I enjoy how hard it is and how every interaction matters. I like the pressure on each action on the field”.
Teams will play within the 36 regional events, winning points along the way, with the 16 highest-ranked male and female teams competing for national honours at a festival of rugby on June 29 at Championship club, Nottingham Rugby.

Steve Grainger, RFU Director of Rugby Development, said: “We are incredibly excited to bring the Secure Trading Sevens Rugby final to Nottingham”.

“We will be showcasing some of the very best community sevens talent from across England, followed by the opportunity for spectators to see top quality O2 Touch competition on the Sunday.

“Our two-day festival guarantees an action-packed weekend for all the family to enjoy.”