A Post-RWC Eagle Assessment
A Post-RWC Eagle Assessment
The members of the USA Men’s National Team have split up and gone back home.
Some are off to professional contracts, others back to squeezing work and rugby into an ever-shrinking day. Some return to the USA to look around and think “now what?”
The experience was, no doubt, one to remember. Playing in the World Cup is something you never forget. But the Eagles were also 0-4 when they had real and legitimate aspirations to do much better than that.
On top of that, and perhaps the thing that might be most memorable for the team, was that they were the only team to be shut out in pool play, and suffered the most lopsided loss of this World Cup. That’s the sort of thing that gets people upset.
So I am going to run down some of the reasons why the Eagles went 0-4, and blame a few people along the way, and I am going to look at a few solutions, too. My first statement is that I won't criticize the effort the players put in off the field or on. Maybe there's a player who skates by, I don't know, but what I do know is what I see on the players' faces after the game and when things don't go well. They care, they feel it, they are trying.
OK, that said. Here goes (click on the links for each topic):
And some good news:
Mike Petri is a national treasure, and is probably the USA’s best player this year, and while many other players have backed away from international opportunities because work, family, and preparation are too much all together, Petri has done it, and played to a very high level, for over 50 caps. I feel bad that I didn’t recognize his getting past 50 caps with more fanfare, although I know he doesn’t care. He’s been crucial to the USA team.
AJ MacGinty may be an import, but while I go on about home-grown players, he’s pretty good and wants to be an Eagle, so I am not complaining.
Titi Lamositele is only 20 years old.
Thretton Palamo is really good, although he needs to tackle better.
Samu Manoa is not only a big star, he’s unselfish, smart, and a leader.
If you want to know how to be an impact sub, see what Joseph Taufetee did in 13 minutes.
USA Rugby World Cup Individual Player Stats.
