USA Rugby have underlined their commitment to Sevens by handing out 23 full-time contracts for 2012.
Melville hails full-time deals
USA Rugby have underlined their commitment to Sevens by handing out 23 full-time contracts for 2012.
With one eye on the inclusion of the shorter form of the game in the 2016 Olympic Games, 15 men and eight ladies have received the deals after USA Rugby struck a deal with the United States Olympic Committee.
The players will now receive monthly stipends, meals, world-class training facilities and high performance support services at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Chula Vista, California.
"As we prepare as a nation for Rio 2016 making our men's and women's Sevens teams full time is a crucial step for our sport," said USA Rugby chief executive Nigel Melville.
"There are so many advantages to living and training in a high performance environment year round - fulltime coaches, trainers, dieticians, sports psychologists, and so on.
"It really is necessary if the USA are to be on the rugby podium in 2016."
