Friday's discontent stems from the recent shrinkage of the World Sevens series, now rebranded SVNS, which features only eight core nations, excluding Great Britain. The decline of both the GB 7s programme and the London and Middlesex Sevens tournaments has significantly impacted the sport's landscape in the UK.
"It’s worrying," Friday explained. "The World Series is continuously shooting itself in the foot. It’s protecting the top eight at the expense of the Tier 2 developing nations, rather than creating opportunity for all."
"So that gap will continue to get bigger, which is not healthy for the sport and will make it less competitive, but also less attractive to everybody participating, which then starts to question whether or not teams will have full-time programmes. Before you know it, we could lose the tip of the spear."
Reflecting on the broader significance of sevens, Friday highlighted its foundational role in nurturing talent within England’s school system. He reminisced how the format serves as a crucial developmental stage, particularly in the renowned Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s.
"All of the great players that have gone on to represent England talk about Rosslyn Park 7s as one of their favorite childhood memories," said Friday. He noted the format's role in honing the fundamental skills of now-prominent fifteen-a-side players like Cheslin Kolbe and Anthony Watson.
"Sevens is a game where your core skills are exposed immediately. If you can't pass the ball effectively, 10 metres off your right and left hand, you're not going to get to a high level playing 7s," remarked England and Lions star Anthony Watson.
With the Olympic future of rugby sevens only secured until 2032, Friday emphasized the pressing need for innovation and broader competitive opportunities. He suggested that commercial sevens leagues akin to cricket's The Hundred could rejuvenate the format and widen its appeal.
"There is gaps in the market for commercial sevens leagues to create '20-20' opportunities; the equivalent of The Hundred and so forth. But we still need a thriving World 7s series, where we have legitimate competition for 12 and 16 countries across men’s and women’s, in order to attract new audiences and new investment," Friday proposed.
Friday's plea for a reshaped strategy was clear: "Look, I fully understand there’s only so much money in the pot. But let's be innovative, let's be commercial, let's be creative."
As the sevens scene faces these pivotal challenges, the sport at large must consider how best to integrate this dynamic format to maintain its growth and relevance in the global sports arena.
