Easily lost perhaps in the noise of the USA 7s in Las Vegas and the Canada 7s in Vancouver, is the emergence of the big young guys.

While Martin Iosefo deservedly got a nod for the Canada 7s Dream Team, and Perry Baker scored the most tries of anyone, and we talked plenty about Carlin Isles running track and Zack Test and Maka Unufe being injured, the guys replacing some of those players just went about their business.

Garrett Bender continues to battle and work hard in tight, while Ben Pinkelman, who hadn’t been playing a great deal, played almost every minute in Vancouver.

“It’s been good. It’s kind of the climax so far. It all started a year and a half ago and getting more comfortable,” said the Colorado State student, who is taking classes remotely while at the OTC. “The last three tournaments, I’ve been getting more comfortable every game. I think we had some unlucky injuries but it really helped me step up and show that we can do it.”

The “we” would include Bender, who had a special moment in the Plate Final against Samoa, tapping on a penalty five meters from his own tryline and bursting up the middle. The support took a while to get there, and Bender was looking around, hoping someone faster would be available for a pass. In the end, he met the Samoan sweeper, put on a little move, and was in the clear before passing off to Madison Hughes. 

We asked Pinkelman if Bender should have gone all the way.

“I was … SHOCKED … that he got by the sweeper,” he said, laughing. But, more seriously, “We work on [open field skills] a lot at camp. Everyone has to be able to do the basics and all the little things. It’s also about playing your role, and that can be finding the right guy in space.”