The immediate focus for Russia’s women may be the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai next week, but a little further down the road is a decision which could result in “one of the best days in the life of a Russian rugby player” according to manager Grigory Malyutin.
That decision will be made in Copenhagen in October when the International Olympic Committee will vote on which sports to include in the Olympic Games programme and Malyutin is adamant the benefits a positive outcome for Rugby Sevens would be huge.
“There is no doubt about the benefits,” explained Malyutin, who is also the Head of Women’s Rugby at the Russian Rugby Union.
“We are trying to expand the game throughout the country and if we become part of the Olympics we will manage to do that. Our Government will start to contribute and assist rugby and then we will be able to attract more athletes into our programme.
“In Russia there are state-funded schools for each Olympic sport and if Rugby becomes part of that we can target young kids to become part of the Rugby code.
“That would enable us to broaden the base and that will lead to stronger national teams as we will have more players to choose from. It will also mean that we will have more stadiums being built by the Government, so more people will be able to play the game.”
First sign of programme's potential
Malyutin is already doing what he can to develop Women’s Rugby in Russia and has started a Rugby scholarship programme at the Russian State University of Tourism and Services in Moscow and the first benefit of this will be seen in Dubai.
For Anna Gottseva, the youngest member of Russia’s Sevens squad, is the first product of this programme that Malyutin hopes will see more women being attracted to the sport of Rugby in the country.
Gottseva plays for the Rgutis-Podmoskovie club in the Moscow region and is currently one of 14 players in South Africa attending a training camp at the High Performance Centre of the University of Pretoria in preparation for RWC Sevens 2009.
“Obviously we needed to go somewhere warm as it is winter in Russia right now,” explained head coach Pavel Baranovsky, the former Russian Sevens and 15-a-side international who will cut two players from the squad on Monday.
“I have been to South Africa many times with the Russian men’s team and did not hesitate to return. You train at high altitude, have great weather and facilities and have decent opponents for training matches. It has been very hot since our arrival last week, which was ideal for the expected conditions in Dubai.”
Speed key for confident Russians
Baranovsky’s charges will play top seeds England, Japan and USA in Pool B of the first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens women’s competition and he remains confident about their chances of reaching the Cup quarter finals in Dubai.
“We came third in the European Championship [behind England and the Netherlands] that doubled up as the qualifiers fro the World Cup – that gave our girls a lot of confidence and we are looking at a place in the Cup quarters. We will target Japan and USA in our pool as we found England very strong during the qualifiers last year.”
One element Russia will be hoping to use to their advantage during RWC Sevens 2009 is speed with the inclusion international track athletes Alexandra Kerzhentseva and Natalia Selyutina in the squad.
Kerzhentseva missed out on qualifying for the Beijing Olympics in the 100m and 200m, while Selyutina has represented Russia in the 200m and 400m and was drafted into Rugby straight from the track.
“They should be among the fastest players in Dubai,” admitted Malyutin. “We are expecting good things from them, as we like to use the width of the field in our approach and for that speed is important.”
Russia, though, will be without stalwart Elena Smirnova through injury, although 39-year-old Marina Dumler from the Burevestnik Novokuzneck club in Siberia will bring guidance and power to the squad.
Russia Women’s Sevens squad:
Anastasiya Mukharyamova (Captain), Elena Shevtsova, Elena Gamova, Anna Gottseva, Anna Goryshkina, Magarita Markova, Ekaterina Andrianova, Marina Dumler, Evgeniya Prikhodko, Natalia Selyutina, Aleksandrina Mukhina, Aleksandra Smirnova, Natalia Alexeeva, Alexandra Kerzhentseva.
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Additional reporting by JJ Harmse
