The USA men's 7s team's up-and-down season is now at a crucial point.

The Eagles get set to play in Singapore with a place in Madrid's eight-team final playoff on the line.

Stay in the Top Eight and you're guaranteed to be back for the 2024-25 season and you're in with a shot to win the championship.

(It's basically a playoff.)

Slip to 9th and you're playing with teams #10, #11, and #12 plus the four aspirants to find out who is a core team for 2024-25. Anything can happen there.

So, yeah, it's  a big deal.

The job, however, is fairly strsightforward: match or beat Great Britain. There are some other factors ... mainly hope Spain doesn't have a blinder, but really it's about not allowing GB to be significantly better than the USA.

And since GB and USA are in the same pool, along with Fiji and Ireland, the Eagles can at least keep an eye on their rivals.

“We are looking forward to getting back out there and competing in the SVNS. It is a relentless travel schedule but as a squad we are highly motivated by the challenge and opportunity," said USA Head Coach Mike Friday when the team shipped out. "We realize once again it's a very tough group and we will prepare for each one of those games and will need to be physically up for a reinvigorated Fiji and a highly competitive and consistent Ireland. Team GB is always a big challenge every time we play them and we fully expect that once again. We understand the mission ahead of us and are excited to get out there compete and represent. The squad is healthy and is moving well, both sides of the ball, these last few weeks of preparation.”