It’s been a quiet entrance for the USA team into the Hong Kong 7s. 

Head Coach Mike Friday picked his team, made a couple of small changes therein, and the squad got to work. 

That could be because of what longtime USA star and former Peninsula Green HS player Zack Test said about Friday in an interview with World Rugby:

“He’s called Yoda, he's teaching us the Jedi way/ He is the master of sevens and we’re just learning from him and continuing to improve as a team. He’s a hard coach. If you’re not giving 110 per cent, you’re gone, and that’s the way it’s got to be.”

So in true Jedi fashion they want to talk less and let their action speak louder.

Perhaps the other part of the equation is Olympic Qualification. The USA entered the 2014-15 season not in form. They kept losing to Canada, and that in itself made it look like Rio might be out of the question. But since then they’ve improved, dramatically, and Canada has struggled. Now winning the North America qualifier in the summer seems a very realistic goal, and finishing in the top 4 and not having to worry about it? Maybe … just maybe.

Friday will want his team probably to forget about all that and have a good Day One in Hong Kong instead. The Eagles have usually performed quite well in the granddaddy of all international 7s tournaments, and this weekend can likely yield another strong performance. Why?

Speed.

The Eagles were hurt somewhat in Las Vegas by the narrow field. Their usual strengths of winning the ball in the air and power in the tackle remain - although a few years ago the USA got so good in the air they made everyone else chafe, thus somewhat engaging their advantage. And the startling weapon of a player, Carlin Isles, who can run sideways against international athletes and still beat them around the edge (how many coaches tell you that’s not possible?) is another arrow in the quiver. But now the USA has more than just Isles to speed by people. The team is a wonderful collection of strength and pace, and they use it well, working the middle and then punishing on the edges.

That’s harder to do on a narrow field, but on Hong Kong’s maximum-width surface, it would mean a lot of tries, and victories.

This is also true because the Eagles have a pool they can win. They are in Friday’s match is against Kenya, and then they face Wales and England. All three of these teams the USA could, and you might even say, should beat. 

All they need to do is execute. They need to make their tackles, not give up silly penalties in the rucks, and use their advantages. They’ve got enough power in Danny Barrett, Garrett Bender, and Andrew Durutalo (who is having his best season) to dominate the breakdown. They’ve got enough pace with Perry Baker, Carlin Isles, and Maka Unufe to outrun almost anybody. They’ve got players with video, such as Madison Hughes and Folau Niua, who are working together well. They’ve got Zack Test, who’s a little bit of all of those things, and who, if he realizes he doesn’t always have to be the go-to finisher, will be even more dangerous.

There are some question-mark players, too. Nic Edwards has not played much at all. What he brings to the team is versatility and rugby knowledge - he can play almost any position - and experience. He’s a known entity, so the question is really, how much will be play? Nate Augspurger is the third halfback behind Hughes and Niua, and his usefulness is simply providing depth and a bit of a shock value in that he has a quick first step and an adventurous should. Augspurger played for the USA before, but his real development has come through the successful Northeast Development Academy, and that’s why he’s in Hong Kong.

And finally there’s Matai Leuta, a player with power and speed, skill and size. We profiled him earlier - Leuta is what Friday wants on his team, a player with a long stride who knows how to pass and can hit hard. Pretty soon he’s going to have a score of them available. There’s no pressure on Leuta, but we’ve seen players earn minutes (Martin Iosefo being the prime example) in short order simply by doing the job.

And that, finally, is it. Hong Kong isn’t about Olympic Qualification or where to finish in the standings, it’s about Friday - one game - and then it’s about Saturday - two more games. The team that lives in the presence will succeed.

USA schedule at Hong Kong 7s - USA times

USA v Kenya - Friday, March 27, 7:38am ET, 4:30am PT

USA v Wales - Friday, March 27, 11:34pm ET, 8:34pm PT

USA v England - Saturday, March 28, 4:42am ET, 1:42amPT