Maka Unufe’s inclusion in the USA 7s team to the Gold Coast is an important step for the lanky young speedster.

Unufe first came to prominence when he was the key scoring threat for United HS in the 2011 High School Championships, scoring twice in a national final loss to Highland. Unufe was immediately tagged as a potential USA 7s talent, and was on the team for the Pan-Am Games a few months later, where he led the tournament in tries and won a Bronze Medal.

Soon he was in residency at the Olympic Training Center, but Unufe, dealing with a young family and trying to pay bills and forge a future, struggled with being pulled various directions and in 2013 signed a deal with an agent with en eye toward a pro football contract.

No one doubted his talent, but when he left the OTC, few were surprised.

Now 22, Unufe is a different person, and his new coach, Mike Friday, told Goff Rugby Report that the Utah-bred star has the ability to turn the IRB Sevens World Series on its head.

“He has all the talent to take the Series by storm,” said Friday. “He is real X factor able to operate across all three backline positions.”

And he can also play well in the air, and it really seems it’s only the beginning for Unufe.

“A lot of what Maka needs is control,” said Friday. “With confidence and belief will come the performances that will light up the circuit. We are helping and supporting him to develop his skills and understanding and his confidence is growing as he has gets fitter. He is already the fittest he has ever been and we have seen a 20% improvement in his endurance scoring in the last two months.”

His power and speed cores are already world class, said Friday, and his fitness is “closing in on that world standard,” which means he still has some work to do. But it’s not all about rugby, and the coach knows that.

“He is also developing other interests outside of rugby and developing his skills and himself, which again he is motivated to do - he is smiling and enjoying both rugby and life,” said Friday. “That’s so important for all rugby players; from that and his improving fitness, his mental resolve is growing too.”