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Olympic Rugby Hopeful Tom Mitchell Is The Definition Of Scrummy

There's more to Team GB than Tom Daley.
by 4/29/2016

This week, Team Great Britain revealed its new Olympics uniforms, designed by Stella McCartney for Adidas.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: In this handout provided by adidas, Creative Director Stella McCartney joins Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes to unveil the new adidas and Stella McCartney Team GB kit for Rio 2016 (L to R) Tom Mitchell, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Stella McCartney, Tom Daley, Olivia Breen at Seymour Leisure Centre on April 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Duffy/adidas via Getty Images)
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Sure, everyone made a big deal about Tom Daley’s newest Olympic Speedo. But our eyes wandered to Tom’s right—and rugby player Tom Mitchell.

The English Sevens captain and Team GB Rio hopeful was breaking in the new Team GB rugby uniform.

Tom Mitchell in 2016 Team GB rugby uniform
Adidas

The 26-year-old is 5’7” and 187lbs of pure muscle. Competing in the World Rugby Sevens Series and the Commonwealth Games, he’s played on rugby fields around the world—and in our dreams.

Tom Mitchell of England takes on Rieko Ioane and Dylan Collier of New Zealand during the Cup Quarter Final match between New Zealand and England in the Marriott London Sevens at Twickenham Stadium on May 17, 2015 in London, England.
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Rugby is actually returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1924. Men’s and women’s teams will compete in Brazil for two days in August.

Tom is from Cuckfield, West Sussex, and has been playing rugby since he was a kid. He studied at Bristol University, eventually moving to Oxford to help the team there beat Cambridge in 2011.

Tom Mitchell of England poses during a portrait session ahead of the 2015 HSBC Wellington World Sevens Series on February 5, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand.
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He’s been playing for the English Sevens squad since 2012, and he was the top points-scorer in the 2013/14 HSBC Sevens World Series which helped him earn the HSBC England Sevens Player of the Year Award in 2014. Which means we got to see him in a tux.

Tom Mitchell of England receives the HSBC England Sevens Player of the Year Award from Simon Amor during the RPA Computacenter Players Awards evening at the Battersea Evolution on May 21, 2014 in London, England.
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Tom’s grown up quite a bit since 2012: He likes Sunday nights by the fire, looking stylish AF, pulsing his NutriBullet, all the free Adidas shoes he can wear, and being dedicated to his scruff game, which he hasn’t always had.

(P.S. Send these old shorts our way PLEASE.)

While the final Team GB squad won’t be revealed until July, Tom’s stellar performance these last few years means he’s basically a guarantee to play in Rio. And thankfully there’s not much time difference between the U.S. and Brazil, so you can bet we’ll be tuning in live to catch his skillful ball-handing.

Tom Mitchell of England breaks away for a try during the 2016 Wellington Sevens cup quarter-final match between England and Argentina at Westpac Stadium on January 31, 2016 in Wellington, New Zealand.
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Tom Mitchell of England in action in the Cup quarter final match against Argentina during the Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens - HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at The Sevens Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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Tom Mitchell #6 of England places the ball to kick during the game between France and England during day two of the Tokyo Sevens Rugby 2015 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on April 5, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.
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Tom Mitchell of England in action against Argentina during day two of the Emirates Dubai Sevens - HSBC Sevens World Series at The Sevens Stadium on December 6, 2014 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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“When I was growing up, the dream was to play rugby for England or go to the Olympics as a sporty youngster,” Tom told the Mid Sussex Times in March. “But as I got into rugby, you know the Olympics is not ever a goal because it is not an opportunity.”

Tom Mitchell of England shouts instructions during the Marriott London Sevens match between England and Argentina at Twickenham Stadium on May 10, 2014 in London, England.
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Now that the sport is back at the Games, “there will be a lot of people who will be getting involved in the sport that haven’t been involved before or even watched it before.”

Oh, we’ll be watching, Tom.

Watching you give press conferences in tight polos.

Tom Mitchell, Lewis Moody, Cameron Clark and Nathan Sharpe attends the HSBC Sevens World Series Media Roundtable on December 3, 2014 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Neville Hopwood/Getty Images)
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And exercise before games.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 21: Tom Mitchell of England kicks during an England Sevens training session ahead of the Commonwealth Games on July 21, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.
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And recover nicely.

We do wish this was us you were being super-friendly with.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 21: Dan Bibby and Tom Mitchell of England grapple during an England Sevens training session ahead of the Commonwealth Games on July 21, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Dan Bibby and Tom Mitchell of England grapple during an England Sevens training session ahead of the Commonwealth Games on July 21, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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We’d gladly give you a try or a thousand with us any day.

Tom Mitchell in action during the England Sevens Squad Announcement for the Commonwealth Games on July 9, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
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Tom Mitchell of England looks on during an England Sevens training session ahead of the Commonwealth Games on July 21, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Tom Mitchell of England looks on during the match between England and Papua New Guinea in the 2015 Wellington Sevens at Westpac Stadium on February 6, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
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Like we said: Definition. Scruffy. Even Mary Berry approves.

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And in case you can spring a quick trip to London this Saturday, Tom will be playing with The Flair Bears. We’re not making this up. Look at these guys:

The Flair Bears
The Flair Bears

Learn more about Tom by watching/drooling over this 2012 video: