Meg Jones is aware of rugby is unfair which is why she is giving it every little thing to get to the Olympics, writes Milly McEvoy of Sportsbeat.
The 27-year-old has spent the previous season taking part in for the all-conquering Crimson Roses in 15s however has now returned to the sevens fold forward of the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Last in Madrid.
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The match serves as the ultimate probability for individuals to place their arms up for Olympic choice in a contest setting with Jones hoping to usurp one of many gamers who has been a part of the cycle the entire means via.
“My greatest factor is the sport is unfair,” she mentioned. “As a lot as you need to be loyal and follow the group and what they should do. You additionally should follow what it is advisable to do, and I understood that by going again to the Crimson Roses after which coming again to sevens.
“Sure, there’s a group facet and the way you match into that surely and my emotional intelligence might be one thing that has set me aside, so I’ve understood that. However the recreation will not be eternally so it is advisable to do what’s greatest for you and if you do this, I believe you get the very best out of the person.”
Jones admits that whereas an Olympic medal is the present precedence, she has one eye on a Rugby World Cup triumph with the match returning to England subsequent 12 months. That was the motivation behind spending the previous season with John Mitchell’s Crimson Roses, starring as England claimed the Grand Slam.
And she or he will not be the one one making the swap with Girls’s Six Nations Participant of the Championship Ellie Kildunne additionally returning to Sevens. She added: “There’s been a giant shift underneath John Mitchell that the sport is unfair and that’s necessary in sevens as properly.
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“I learnt that earlier than, however I believe it has been highlighted extra. When the ref says the unsuitable name or if there’s something that the ref hasn’t seen, how can we react? As a result of the sport is unfair and typically the ball doesn’t bounce the way in which you need it to bounce.
“Typically the very best groups, notably within the tight video games, are those who come out on prime and don’t really feel betrayed or victimised by the sport. They only get on with it, put their onerous hats on, roll up their sleeves. That is likely one of the greatest learnings I’ve jumped on with the Crimson Roses.”
One other key talent she is bringing from the 15s set-up is the flexibility to govern defences, with Jones having watched the sevens on from afar.
She believes her decisiveness and intent, in addition to being a pure chief, will assist her slot straight again into the sport.
Nevertheless, she has additionally harassed how tough it’s to make the change between the 2 disciplines and is to get the ideas of Antoine Dupont and Michael Hooper who’re additionally treading the identical path forward of Paris 2024.
“It does really feel like an audition, I need to see how I get on,” the Cardiff-born participant mentioned. It heightens what efficiency sport is, you need the very best gamers on the pitch, and also you need to have the ability to win a medal. It’s a group sport on the finish of the day, it’s not concerning the particular person.
“However I’m coming into this surroundings, I want to verify I’m doing every little thing I can from my perspective. I’m treating it with respect, I’m understanding emotionally how it’s going to make individuals really feel and vice versa.
“I’m additionally a giant character, I perceive I can’t simply go in all weapons blazing, I want to know the place I can slot in and the place I could make the group higher as properly. I absolutely know my position and I’m invested in making that occur, both as a small cog or as a giant cog, we’ll see once I begin taking part in.”
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