In a decade-long Scotland men’s playing stint on the sevens circuit Scott Riddell had some real high points – and he admits being an assistant coach at the Olympics for the Great Britain’s women’s squad in the coming days will be right up there in terms of experiences his career.
When he had his boots on between 2009 and 2019, Riddell, now 38, went to three Commonwealth Games, three Sevens World Cups and helped the Scots to win the Twickenham event on the world series in 2016 and 2017.
Throughout that time he was Scotland skipper for a spell, played in an amazing 74 world series events and was a highly-respected sevens player around the globe.
Fast forward to the present day and he has quickly become a respected coach and, over the last year and a bit, the man who works as a game development manager for Scottish Rugby has been working closely with the GB Sevens men’s and women’s squads.
He explains: “It all started last year when the men’s and women’s GB squads were preparing for the European Games in Krakow.
One of the coaches, Tony Roques, was away helping out with the England men’s XVs at the time in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup and Ciaran Beattie called me up as he needed an extra pair of hands to help on the coaching side of things.
“We knew each other well from playing sevens in the past and I was keen to get involved and Scottish Rugby were really good in giving me a secondment to take up the opportunity.
“Helping out in the build up to and in Krakow then led to a longer-term opportunity which I am still taking up at the moment and I am loving it.
“Working across both the men’s and the women’s squads over the last year has been pretty full on, but it has been a good experience working with male and female athletes and also progressing my own coaching at the same time.
“I have tried to act as a sounding board to the head coaches and have worked on different aspects of the game with both squads.
I just love sevens and always have so it is great to be back involved in that environment at the top level again and immersed in it all.
“I have learnt so much in the last 12 months and the game of sevens is evolving all of the time so that has been fascinating to be a part of, there is always something you can be looking at to try and get an edge over opponents.”
The aforementioned Beattie, a fellow Scot, is heading up the coaching in Paris with the women’s event getting underway in the Stade de France on Sunday.
Emma Uren has been named captain while, as well as Beattie and assistant coach Riddell, the squad will be supported by strength and conditioning coach James Nolan, team manager Sean Lamont and, from a logistics point of view, Joe Lydon.
“It was so important for the women’s squad to secure their place for the Olympics last summer at the European Games and it meant that all year the coaches and the players could work towards the Olympics,” Riddell continued
“That meant that, throughout the year, we were able to try different combinations out, give players a good run and I think the squad that we have here at the Olympics has an excellent balance to it.
“Since selection was made the players have got their heads down and worked ever so hard. We all know that this game can change in an instant, but I feel we are well prepared ahead of the opening game against Ireland.
“As coaches we want the players to embrace playing on the big stage, but also play their own game as that’s what got them and the squad here.
“And in terms of myself it is a huge honour to be a part of an Olympic Games and I will aim to make the most of this opportunity and take it all in.”
Great Britain women’s sevens Olympic squad
Amy Wilson Hardy
Ellie Boatman
Ellie Kildunne
Emma Uren (C)
Grace Crompton
Heather Cowell
Isla Norman-Bell
Jade Shekells
Jasmine Joyce
Lauren Torley
Lisa Thomson
Meg Jones
Reserves:
Abi Burton
Kayleigh Powell
Great Britain women’s sevens Olympic Pool B fixtures
Ireland, July 28 at 3.30pm local time (2.30pm UK)
Australia, July 28 at 7.30pm local time (6.30pm UK)
South Africa, July 29 at 2pm local time (1pm UK)
Rest of fixtures on July 29 and 30 depends on results
Scott Riddell is pictured, thanks to Team GB for the image
GH Media will be covering the Scots involved in sevens at the Olympics between July 27 and July 31