The team will need to finish in the top four of this season's International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series to automatically qualify for the Olympics.

But the 2015 IRB Regional Championships and a World Repechage offer lifelines for the squad to qualify if they fail to finish in the top four.

The Rugby Football Union, Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union have come together to nominate England for Rio 2016 qualification.

They had already agreed the team finishing highest out of England, Scotland and Wales in the 2013-2014 season of the Sevens World Series, would be nominated.

England came fourth, with Wales 11th and Scotland 12th.

A GB Sevens Company is in the process of being formed and will be put forward to the British Olympic Association for recognition as the National Governing Body in the "near future".

Rugby sevens will take place in the Deodoro Park during the Games, along with seven other sports.

The sport, in the form of rugby union, last appeared in the Olympic Games at Paris 1924.