Dan Norton: London 7s, bursting onto the scene and longevity in sport
The two-day fun-fueled party that is the rugby sevens returns to the capital this weekend as England, Fiji, New Zealand and others look to go head-to-head to win on the prestigious London leg of the circuit.
Argentina top the table coming into the event – which will be held at England’s Twickenham Stadium – but there will be a plethora of talent across the weekend’s 45 matches.
One star of London 7s events gone by won’t be taking to the pitch as a player, however. Dan Norton, record try scorer with 358, retired in April having burst onto the circuit in London in 2009.
“London’s obviously pretty special. To be able to play at home, to be able to have my family there and friends to come and watch was always special,” Norton told Morning Wire
“A fond memory is probably my first time playing in London in 2009, when we won the tournament.
“I was a fresh faced 20-year-old playing one of my first tournaments and got called on to play the last minute and a half against New Zealand.
“I scored the try to take us to extra time then we went on to win the final. It was a very special moment.”
Sevens was severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the knock on effects causing cancellations. Even early in this season, the likes of the Kiwis were not initially able to compete due to their ongoing restrictions at the time.
But with a full roster back on the circuit again, the south-west London showpiece in the sun could be a brilliant occasion for stars to shine.
“Since Singapore and having them [New Zealand and Fiji] back, it’s just increased the whole standard again,” Norton, who is an ambassador for sportswear brand Kymira, said.
“Sevens has always been that one where some of the underdogs have been able to really grow and show, but this season is no different and there are some exciting teams in the series.”
Now in his post-playing career, Norton has taken up a role with a Chinese group of sevens players. He describes the gig, which he does with, among others, former player Tom Biggs, as “a bit strange” given the language barrier but hopes he can “help the nation prosper” in the sevens game.
“My friends have been commenting on my coaching ability,” he added. “But it’s more ‘do as we say rather than as we do’, that’s the easier way of coaching these days,”
So who do you back in a game of sevens? Well, with two short, sharp seven-minute halves, anything can happen. In Toulouse last week we saw the moment an England player refused to score for two minutes to run the clock down go viral.
Norton cites how the visibility the sport gained from that moment was no bad thing, with the video peaking the interest of many beyond the walls of sevens. And that’s something the sport needs to do.
Sevens can be a lot of fun and the constant pace of the game is captivating. And when the circus descends on London this weekend, there will be no shortage of carnival atmosphere across the two days.
Dan Norton is an ambassador for KYMIRA, the wearable infrared performance clothing brand designed to help athletes enhance performance, accelerate recovery and reduce the chances of injury.