The HSBC World Series finishes off for the USA this weekend with not much good stuff to focus on.
This is a team that showed for about eight minutes last weekend in Toulouse that they can play with anyone, but then cratered rather badly on the second day. Going from a team that was leading Fiji and looking like they could beat one of the best teams on the circuit to a team leaking 45 (!) points to Spain is kind of shocking.
But it's not.
This team is, for the most part, very new to international 7s rugby. This is a team that has strengths and tactics and abilities that smart opponents study and learn to counter. This is a team that was playing without Perry Baker, someone who, whenever he is on the pitch, draws attention. That attention opens up gaps and Baker's speed and awareness on cover defense covers up a multitude of sins.
It's the same old story—you take out one player and everyone else realizes they weren't actually doing so great; they were relying on someone else to help them.
So the USA squad that made two straight finals early this year finished last—that's right, last—in Toulouse. And yet they also led Fiji 14-0 and scored at the last moment to tie them 21-21.
Head Coach Mike Friday has discussed his team's Mercurial performances before and how they stray from the plan.
But that rang hollow in France and he knew it.
"I can only apologize for the last two games against Spain and Kenya, where we were just not good enough on either side of the ball. We have to look at why this continues to happen. We need to work harder as a group at mentally resetting when things do not go our way and physically apply the basics whilst avoiding going individual to solve matters and instead stay on task as a collective to move forward. These are harsh, brutal public lessons for all of us to have to absorb, which for young men’s confidence can play a part too and cause a spiral, up or down."
And it's a lesson for the coach. It's a different team with a different understanding, and he has to communicate correctly.
Friday has always been good at that, understanding different players' mind sets and finding a way in. He's got to do that now.
