England on their own for the Olympics?

Surprise news this evening, with potentially massive consequences for international women's sevens rugby.

Wales have withdrawn from the European Sevens championship. At this stage no explanation has been issued from the WRU. Of the 36 European nations with women's rugby teams, only three have not entered - Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England are therefore the only Home Nation in the tournament.

With the Sevens World Cup qualification process starting next year, its difficult to see any of these three entering with any hope of success - and with what is expected to be a long and complex Olympic qualification starting soon after that, its difficult to see Ireland (on their own), or Scotland and Wales (as part of a GB team) taking part in that either.

On the one hand, all this will make the creation of a Great Britain Olympic team rather easier than expected - because only England seem to have any interest in taking part, so all RFUW need to do is design a new shirt! On the other hand its all a bit weird as it seems that the Home Nations have a totally different set of priorities to the rest of the women's rugby world.  Every other nation, without exception, is prioritising sevens - from Australia to China, from Netherlands (whose sevens squad will go full-time from next year) to Kenya. Only Scotland, Ireland and Wales are heading in the opposite direction.