Joining other nations, the United States have named their Rugby Sevens Olympic Squads. The Men’s and Women’s groups will represent their nation at the 2016 Summer Games, to be played in Rio de Janiero.
Men’s squad head coach Mike Friday has retained Sevens Series captain Madison Hughes for the games tournament. The experienced player will lead a powerful group, looking to claim gold. Women’s head coach Richie Walker; who took over earlier this year, has also gone for experience in his side with Jillion Potter and Kelly Griffin leading the charge.
Road to Rio
The American men have had a very challenging year, with injuries and inconsistency affecting their overall game. This is something that Mike Friday will be looking to rectify as they head to Rio. There are no second chance in this pinnacle of sports, nothing but a wait for the next four years to achieve it all over again. Both Rugby Sevens Olympic Squads must peak for the three day tournament.
The Eagles finished sixth in the 2015/2016 Seven Series, behind eventual winners Fiji. While performing well in Dubai and in the final leg in London, the team has yet to string results together. What they lack in results, the team make up for in excitement. With game breakers like Carlin Isles, Perry Baker and Hughes, they have popular support at home and on the road. Reaching the Olympics by winning the North American Olympic qualifying tournament, expectations will be high.
The Americans are in Pool A with Sevens Series champions Fiji, South American rivals Argentina and hosts Brazil. They will compete at the Deodoro Stadium from the 9-11th of August.
YOUR MEN’S OLYMPICS @TeamUSA SIDE #rugby pic.twitter.com/4AAyYu3com
— USA Sevens Rugby (@USASevensRugby) July 18, 2016
Olympic men’s squad ready to fire
Led well by Hughes, who finished as the top-scorer in the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, the group has been in camp for sometime. USA Rugby High Performance Director Alex Magleby echoed this sentiment, saying “the Rio build up has been by far the most competitive camp we have ever had. Thanks to the efforts of Mike, Assistant Coaches Chris Brown, Phil Greening and the rest of the staff creating a challenging but nonetheless supportive environment”.
Veterans Zach Test and Chris Wyles will lead the pack while young energetic captain Hughes dictates play in the middle. They will use the big Danny Barrett and Andrew Durutalo on the flanks, while Maka Unufe can spring forward, to burst up the midfield. Much of this will release the pace of Baker and Isles to light up the field and score plenty of tries [cross the line].
Add to that ex-New England Patriots code hopper Nate Ebner, who has made a fabulous return to the sport he first represented at the age of 17. Now with his experience, he will be a man to watch. As will the youngest member of the team, Ben Pinkelman (22) of Colorado. He has progressed through the High Performance ranks and will build off of his career 36 games played.
”The Rugby Sevens Olympic squad’s represent the country on so many levels and is cosmopolitan in makeup, which is a true reflection of the county,” Mike Friday on worldrugby.org. ”The team is balanced in physicality, power, x-factor and out-and-out pace. We posses great aerial presence and kickers who are able to exploit these skills, as long with the contact area. We see this as a huge area in the game”.
Preparations to continue in Florida
Team USA will continue to train at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, before heading to Florida for a week. Training session will includes scrimmages against New Zealand. Team USA will determine their three travelling reserves within the group of Nate Augspurger, Will Holder, Martin Iosefo, Thretton Palamo and Shalom Suniula.
United States Men’s Squad: Pool A
Folau Niua, Madison Hughes, Nate Ebner, Ben Pikkelman, Danny Barrett, Maka Unufe, Chris Wyles, Zach Test, Andrew Durutalo, Garrett Bender, Carlin Isles, Perry Baker.
Potter and Griffin lead US Women’s charge
The Women’s team will go to Rio with all guns blazing. They have managed to bring together a squad which is full of experience, speed, power and flair to fight for Gold in Rio. And fight they must do, as the opposition will be out for the same prize.
To achieve that goal, Griffin and Potter must lead the charge. Both are veterans, and Potter has made a miraculous return from cancer. That determination is familia to cross-codes athletes Alev Kelter and Jessica Javelet. The latter had a wonderful Women’s Sevens Series as fit again Victoria Foyalan will hope she gets through Rio unscathed and deliver what she does the best… scoring tries at will with her speed and power.
Six of the squad–Lauren Doyle, Joanne Fa’avesi, Griffin, Kathryn Johnson, Kelter, and Stephens–won silver at last year’s Pan American Games in Toronto (pictured). A step up the rostrum is the goal for all this team, but Australia and Fiji are two teams standing in their way. Both Rugby Sevens Olympic squads will put everything on the line to achieve those same goals through pool play, and on to the knockout stages.
It’s been 92 years since rugby was in the Olympics.
But make no mistake: @USASevensRugby is ready for Rio: https://t.co/6PkLPMJzuu
— espnW (@espnW) July 16, 2016
Talent across the field in women’s squad
Richelle Stephens is the youngest member in the squad; at just 19 years of age. Her position beside season regulars Ryan Carlyle, Carmen Farmer and Doyle, shows this group will utilize all players strengths. The Eagles women’s side know on their day, they can beat any team.
To assist them, they have a formidable midfield. Their ‘Pacific connection’ of Fa’avesi and Fijian Bui Baravilala have proved to be a tough combination. They will provide the thrust on attack, and covering defence to contain the physicality that the top teams bring to the game. The breakdown is a key area, as well as receiving kick-off ball.
”I have selected a group of girls with a wide variety of playing styles and skill-sets. I am excited to see them all come together and play for each other in Rio.” Richie Walker told worldrugby.org. “Every player has played on the Sevens Series and some players have played XV’s as well.”
United States Names Their Rugby Sevens Olympic Squads
Leadership will be key to success. That is true in both squads with the more experienced players each bringing key skills. The women hold a great work ethic, instituted by Walker and hold a number of proven leaders. With that choice, Team USA women’s captain for the games will be named at a later date. Before that, the side enjoy a weeks build-up in Florida, before leaving for Brazil.
The American women are in Pool A with Sevens Series champions Australia, Fiji and Colombia. They will compete at the Deodoro Stadium from the 6-8th of August.
United States Women’s squad: Pool A
Kelly Griffin, Jessica Javelet, Jillion Potter, Bui Baravilala, Alev Kelter, Victoria Foyalan, Carmen Farmer, Richelle Stephens, Lauren Doyle, Kathryn Johnson, Ryan Carlyle. Joanne Fa’avesi.
“Main photo credit”
