Sevens star still seeks niche

Ben Gollings in action for England against Sri Lanka in the sevens at the Commonwealth Games. Mark Nolan / Getty Images

You'd think that, given England's struggles since Jonny Wilkinson's magic night in Sydney three years ago, Ben Gollings would have warranted at least a look by the 15-a-side powers that be.

Instead, Gollings has largely been confined to demonstrating his footballing prowess in the sevens version of the game, at which he has become the alltime highest points scorer and one of the stellar performers.

Now, he's spending the opening Air New Zealand cup season with new union Tasman, and steps onto Eden Park for the first time on Sunday when they play Auckland.

Considering he's still only 24, Gollings has packed plenty into his rugby life. He's been in the English premiership for almost six years, but became a spare parts player, slotted in at fullback, wing or first five-eighth.

He was at Harlequins for 4 1/2 years, Newcastle for one and Worcester, with whom he spent the first half of last season, before heading to Brisbane with his Australian partner Natalie and their children, Woody, 3, and Rocco, 1.

"I was just getting a bit frustrated," Gollings said.

"I was playing what I felt to be out of position on the wing. I'm not really a winger and the way they play rugby over there doesn't suit my style of game.

"We had an opportunity of going to Australia and I could have a go at first five-eighth in the Southern Hemisphere."

He spent a few months with the Sunnybank club on the Gold Coast, but there's no place for a non-Wallaby eligible player in their Super 14 franchises, so he grabbed the chance to try his hand at Tasman.

Gollings kicked five out of five as Tasman gave North Harbour a big fright in the first round at Blenheim last weekend. He has the incentive of catching a Super 14 coach's eye in the next couple of months and would love to settle down with his family.

He loves his sevens, but acknowledged it's not ideal for family life.

"I just enjoy the space on the field and the free running of it. It's great to be able to have a go at your player one-on-one, and you can show your skills when sometimes you can't in 15s. It's been good to me."

So while Gollings has made a name for himself as one of the finest sevens players, why can't he crack the 15s?

After all, England aren't exactly bursting at the seams with gifted No 10s, and Wilkinson has barely been sighted since winning the World Cup in November 2003.

Gollings had a chance with England A and was involved in development squads, but that was it.

"I don't know if I was unlucky, or maybe the face didn't fit the bill. I never let it bother me, but the one big frustration is I think I've been seen as a sevens specialist and I don't want to have that over me."

He hasn't given up on getting a chance with England, but knows that "as the years go by your chances get slimmer. I'd love to, but I don't hold my hopes up."

There is a touch of the boots in a suitcase about Gollings' rugby life. He doesn't want that to continue, and would relish settling in one place but is keeping his options open.

His Tasman contract is just for this season, but he likes the environment, likes Nelson and hopes to be around longer.

Steering Tasman to respectability in the cup won't hurt, and Gollings doesn't doubt his team can foot it with the bigger boys.

"At the weekend against North Harbour we proved there's no need to go out and be worried about playing these teams. We're certainly going to be up there competing."

BEN GOLLINGS

Born: May 13, 1980, Launceston, Cornwall
Height: 1.72m
Weight: 81kg
Position: First five-eighth
Teams: Harlequins, Newcastle, Worcester, England Sevens, Tasman