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Perry Baker drops retirement hint despite wowing fans in Hong Kong
Hong Kong 7s was at its ‘Hang it in the Louvre’ best on Sunday. The finals day atmosphere was so incredible that organisers at their post-tournament drinks debrief later that night breezily described it as the greatest edition in the 30 years the event had been staged at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium.
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So manic was what unfolded that during the second half of the New Zealand versus France men’s final the fancy-dressed hordes packing out the South Stand were heard chanting ‘Hong Kong 7s, Hong Kong 7s, Hong Kong 7s’.
Think of it, when does any rugby fan ever hear the name of a tournament chanted loud and proud? Never. That spontaneous homage perfectly illustrated what a bucket list-type event the Hong Kong 7s truly is.
The South Stand, though, wasn’t the only section of the stadium in full voice over the course of the finals day.
For instance, some hours earlier, a pile of fans congregated near the pitch-side tunnel exit had repeatedly chanted ‘Baker, Baker, Baker’ in honour of Perry, the famed American speedster who has defied the assumption that a player is supposed to slow down the older you get.
Stop…GO ?
Perry Baker becomes the joint-highest try scorer at #HSBCSVNSHKG ?#HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/tBR5XSwZw7
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 7, 2024
The USA legend is just months shy of his 38th birthday in June, but he reminded everyone at the weekend that he still has serious game and can perform with jaw-dropping excellence.
His team looked set to be beaten by Spain in the seventh-place play-off. Down 12-17 on the scoreboard, there was less than two minutes to play when he received a pass out wide inside his own 22. Nothing was on when he received the ball and clutched it under his right arm.
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The magic then just suddenly ignited, beginning with a feint left and a beautiful step right to elude Anton Legorburu. Next, he suddenly slammed the brakes on to catch Eduardo Lopez, who ran by him and into a collision with his own man Legorburu.
With two opponents now out of the game, Baker revved his wheels again to elude the clutches of Jaime Manteca, who finished sprawled on the ground and clutching air outside the 22. Alejandro Laforga was the next covering player up, attempting to head Baker off approaching the 10-metre line.
The Spaniard’s desperate scramble failed, though, allowing the veteran to gallop away into the clear and he then savoured every remaining moment of his solo score, giving the South Stand fans a celebratory wave before turning around and using up as many seconds as possible before finally grounding.
Over went the conversion kick from Madison Hughes to push the USA into a two-point lead that they held on to, leaving Baker jubilant that he had so significantly contributed two days after he admonished himself for losing his bearings in the closing moments against Argentina, another game where he scored from distance.
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When he spoke to RugbyPass on the Friday after the Americans clung on to beat series leaders Argentina, Baker candidly said: “I had a mistake at the end there running out of bounds but the boys had my back and they fought hard. My team just trusts me so much and I need to finish for them and take my opportunities.”
Two days later, the compliment was certainly repaid, Baker having his team’s back and stylishly taking his opportunity to get the win that helped to keep the USA in eighth place on the HSBC SVNS Series standings and on course to make the Grand Final in Madrid.
If you look up athleticism in the dictionary, it just shows a picture of Perry Baker ?
What. A. Try! ??#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSHKG | @USARugby | @SpeedSt11ck pic.twitter.com/p8eSTj3zL5
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 5, 2024
The 37-year-old burst out laughing soon after when RugbyPass asked why age was just a number, not something negatively affecting his contribution.
“I guess my play overall speaks for itself to say that I can still play,” he beamed before hinting that retirement might finally still be coming soon.
“I have been in the game a long time, I love it but I think it’s the sort of time we do something else now,” he admitted, adding, “Yeah, I’m a little slower now. A little slower. Not as fast as I was when I first started but it’s not too far off it.”
Baker’s tournament-ending try against Spain was his 36th overall in Hong Kong, equalling the record that had solely belonged to England’s Dan Norton, but there are other milestones the American is targeting before the season comes to a close in July in Paris.
“We still want to make it to Madrid, play in a top eight and try and win it all, and then we will talk about the Olympics. The atmosphere here in Hong Kong is always great and the tournaments all around have been good.
“It’s just fun playing rugby. When you get fans to come to watch and enjoy it, what more can you ask for.”
Baker should know. The former NFL hopeful signed full-time with USA in 2014, so he knows first-hand how sevens has developed this last decade. “It’s a great competition. The series has changed so much from when I first started to now.
“Faster game all around and just better competition out there and it’s just tough with the opposition. No matter who you get it’s going to be a tough fight.
“But the fans we have, the support system we have is amazing. Just hearing USA everywhere, just the atmosphere for rugby – everyone who comes here enjoys rugby and we just want to put on a show for them and perform. I love playing in atmospheres like this.”
Singapore, Madrid, and then the Paris Olympics. It might be Baker’s last lap on the sevens circuit. If so, let’s appreciate everything he does in the next 15 weeks. Hang it in the Louvre, indeed.
"Not as fast as I was but it's not too far off…"
– The 37-year-old Perry Baker on his solo, match-winning try in Hong Kong which beat Spain 19-17 and gave the USA 7th place in Hong Kong, from Liam Heagney ?? #HK7s #HSBCSVNS #SVNSSeries #OfficialHK7s #USARugby #EaglesUnited pic.twitter.com/VGXggXhvoT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 7, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
Safas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
66 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
66 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
66 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
66 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
66 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
66 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
66 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
66 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
66 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
66 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
66 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to comments