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First rugby sevens squad to compete at Olympic Games selected by Team GB

Emily Scarratt and Tom Mitchell will skipper Great Britain's men's and women's rugby sevens sides at this summer's Olympic Games in Rio.

Great Britain have announced their maiden rugby squad to compete at an Olympic Games in more than century.

Team GB will take part in a rugby event for the first time in 108 years this summer, and the first time ever in rugby sevens - the seven-a-side format of the game.

The competition is scheduled to take place in Rio between August 9 and 11 for the men, while the women's competition is to run for six days from August 6.

Emily Scarratt has been named as captain of the women's squad, which includes a number of players from England's successful Rugby World Cup 2014 side.

In terms of the men's equivalent, Tom Mitchell will skipper an experienced outfit that includes sevens specialists such as James Rodwell and Dan Norton - the World Rugby Sevens Series' fourth-highest leading scorer of all time.

Speaking after the announcement of the historic squad announcement, Team GB chef de mission Mark England said: "It's great to welcome rugby back into the Olympic family and announce our first squad of players in the sport for more than a century.

"These players have incredible pedigree in the sport and bringing them together to form the first ever Team GB sevens squads is very special and each of these 24 will now forever be a part of British Olympic history.

"Today's announcement also means our team for Rio 2016 is complete and, after four years of hard work, we now have a strong squad of athletes ready to do their country proud at Rio 2016, our largest British Olympic Team for over a quarter of a century."

The women's side will face hosts Brazil, Japan and Canada in the pool stage, while the men take on Kenya, Japan and New Zealand.

Team GB men's rugby seven squad in full:

Mark Bennett, 23, Glasgow; Dan Bibby, 25, Putney; Phil Burgess, 28, Farnborough; Sam Cross, 23, Newport; Alex Davis, 23, Bristol; James Davies, 25, Carmarthen; Ollie Lindsay Hague, 25, London; Tom Mitchell, 27, Wandsworth; Dan Norton, 28, Bristol; James Rodwell, 31, Cotteridge; Mark Robertson, 31, Galashiels; Marcus Watson, 25, Weybridge

Travelling reserves: Luke Treharne, 23, Llanelli; Ruaridh McConnochie, 24, Kingston upon Thames

Team GB women's rugby seven squad in full: Claire Allan, 31, Ealing; Abbie Brown, 20, Exeter; Heather Fisher, 32, Birmingham; Natasha Hunt, 27, Gloucester; Jasmine Joyce, 20, Haverfordwest; Katy McLean, 30, South Shields; Alice Richardson, 29, Worcester; Emily Scarratt, 26, Leicester; Emily Scott, 24, Corringham; Danielle Waterman, 31, Bristol; Joanne Watmore, 29, Chester; Amy Wilson-Hardy, 24, Poole

Travelling reserves: Megan Jones, 19, Cardiff; Kay Wilson, 24, Caterham

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Tom Powell in action during the England Sevens Squad Announcement for the Commonwealth Games on July 9, 2014 in London, England
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