Emily Scarratt will captain the women’s squad which features a number of experienced names from England’s 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup winning side and the squad who have competed in the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series last season as professional athletes.

The women’s squad, who have been training full time as a wider British group since October last year, have played in invitational and training tournaments around the globe this season alongside England’s exploits on the circuit. 

"To wear the GB shirt and compete in the Olympics is a childhood dream that we are now, as a team, turning into reality," said Scarratt.                      

"As a squad, we are looking forward to being among the first athletes to play rugby sevens on the world’s biggest sporting stage. 

"I am immensely proud to be representing Great Britain and introducing women’s rugby to new audiences."

The men’s squad will be led by England’s Tom Mitchell and a number of experienced sevens specialists including compatriot James Rodwell, who set a new world record earlier this year after playing in 69 consecutive HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series’ tournaments, and fellow countryman Dan Norton, the Series' fourth-highest leading scorer of all time.

Scotland’s Mark Bennett, nominee for breakthrough player of the year following last season’s Rugby World Cup, and Wales’ James Davies are named alongside England’s Ollie Lindsay-Hague and Marcus Watson as the four 15-a-side players with previous sevens experience.

"I am incredibly proud to have the opportunity to represent Team GB and to lead this group of boys, we have worked so hard to be at this point, not just in the last six weeks but over the years," said Mitchell.                       

"The opportunity to showcase our event to the world and represent Team GB while we do it is something very special."

Rio 2016 will mark the first time in 108 years that Team GB has had representation in rugby at Olympic level and a first for the seven-a-side format.

Competition takes place over six days with the women competing first from August 6 to 8 at the Deodoro Stadium in a pool which includes hosts Brazil, Japan and Canada.                                   

The men’s competition follows from August 9 to 11 with Kenya, Japan and New Zealand waiting in the pool stages for Team GB.

"This is a hugely exciting moment for women’s rugby with sevens making its debut at the Olympic Games and we believe we have selected the best possible group of players to achieve success in Rio," said Team GB women’s head coach Simon Middleton.

"The World Series this season proved how competitive the women’s rugby sevens circuit is and we’re very much looking forward to competing against the very best as a Team GB squad." 

Team GB men’s head coach Simon Amor added: "At the recent tournament in Exeter, the crowd were chanting 'GB', something that has never been heard in the rugby sevens world before, and it was yet another reminder of how privileged we are to now be part of one Team GB and the largest sporting event in the world.

"Through the extraordinary GB spirit that has been created over the last seven weeks, all the players involved in the wider training squad have pushed themselves, and each other, to the limit." 

Joining Scarratt in the women’s squad are Claire Allan, Abbie Brown, Heather Fisher, Natasha Hunt, Jasmine Joyce, Katy McLean, Alice Richardson, Emily Scott, Danielle Waterman, Joanne Watmore, and Amy Wilson-Hardy.

Also featuring in the men’s squad are Dan Bibby, Phil Burgess, Sam Cross, Alex Davis and Mark Robertson.