US success could give sevens the boost it needs
The American side are providing rugby – and Hollywood – with an inspirational tale, writes Kate Rowan
Second place might be for losers, but in rugby sevens consistency is rewarded
There has been much speculation over who will play Ben Ryan in the film adaptation of his book,
Sevens Heaven, the tale of how a red-haired Englishman helped the Fiji rugby sevens team win the island nation’s first Olympic medal – and a gold at that.
But there is every possibility that Hollywood will soon be looking to rugby sevens for another inspirational tale. And as far as the studio executives are concerned, this has the added bonus of telling an American success story, although this sporting odyssey is only just starting to gain traction.
“Second place is for losers” might be classed as a particularly American maxim, but the United States sevens team have won consecutive silver medals in Dubai and Cape Town. However, they are now leading the HSBC World Series for the first time.
In World Series sevens, consistency is rewarded. So despite being beaten by New Zealand in the Dubai final and being put to the sword 29-15 by the flying Fijians in the Cape Town final last weekend, the US, as the only side to make the finals of the two opening tournaments of the season, are the early leaders.
Geezer is not usually a term one would associate with rugby union, yet that is the nickname of the US sevens head coach, Mike Friday. The former Wasps man, and England sevens player and coach, is not quite Danny Dyer, but he has a bit less stiff upper lip and a bit more wheeler-dealer about him than other English rugby types.
Then there is the colourful cast of players. Perry Baker, the newly anointed World Rugby sevens player of the year, was on track for the riches of NFL and signed to the Philadelphia Eagles. A knee injury ended his career in that sport but he moved over to rugby, which he had played in high school.
Carlin Isles, another convert from NFL, for so long his side’s star, grew up in poverty, not seeing his mother and moving between foster homes.
Then there is the captain, Madison Hughes, the son of an English father and American mother. He grew up in Surrey, going on to attend Wellington College, the famed rugby nursery, linking back to more traditional origins.
The US success could give rugby sevens the boost it needs as the format struggles to emerge from the shadow of the 15-man code. The Rio Olympics had been seen as the platform for a US rugby sevens revolution, but a disappointing ninthplace finish left the side focusing on the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco, where they performed well but were outplayed by England in the quarter-finals.
Revenge was sweet in Cape Town, as the Americans overcame England 19-12, with Hughes contributing a try. Then came a 31-12 win over the All Blacks in the semi-finals, after losing out to them in the final the week before.
The longer journey may just make the adventure all the more epic. The idea of capturing the behind-thescenes story of US sevens has not been missed, as a documentary, The
Pioneers, was made early this year, but there is a feeling that if this streak of results continues towards the Tokyo Olympics, the US will be taking their silver medal-winning form to the silver screen.