RECORD-BREAKING England Sevens captain Ben Gollings is mulling over his future after being told his contract with the national team will not be renewed.
Gollings has run up unrivalled miles on the clock and points on the scoreboard after more than 10 years on the Sevens circuit.
The 31-year-old said he was surprised the England management chose not to offer him a new contract, but wished the team well in the future.
Some reports have the little maestro retiring, others have him considering his future.
His departure heralds a changing of the guard for England.
It is unlikely at the ripe old age of 31, and after a significant absence from the 15-a-side game in England, he will be able to forge a new career in the Guinness Premiership.
He currently plies his trade in a regional league in Australia for the Gold Coast Breakers.
Should he play on or not, his sporting epitaph will read: one of the greatest Sevens players to have played the game.
England were privileged to have had him.
As a footnote, there has been little to no coverage of Gollings’ forced retirement. The absence suggests that while Sevens is enjoyed as a festival sport by a few thousand around the world, it is not considered a serious enough code to merit the attention of the others.
Not necessarily a bad thing, and the sport will earn much more attention when it premiers at the 2016 Olympic Games.
