1
USA great Madison Hughes reveals ‘unfinished business’ after SVNS return
With the United States of America failing to medal at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, playmaker Madison Hughes was ready to “move on” and sail into the sunset after a storied sevens career.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hughes, now 31, captained America during a transformational time for the sport’s shorter format in North America. With the USA and Canada impressing, it was Hughes who led the way.
In a team that boasted plenty of star power by way of Perry Baker, Carlin Isles and Garrett Bender, Hughes took the circuit by storm and finished the 2015/16 campaign as the top point scorer.
But that’s just one sentence, one season, which could never justifiably detail the impact that Hughes had on North American rugby, the circuit and the United States sevens program.
Hughes’ skill on the field, leadership qualities and experience were simply invaluable to the USA sevens side, and the void the playmaker left behind proved hard to fill in the years since his departure.
But with one eye on a third appearance at the Olympics ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, Hughes returned to the SVNS circuit for the first time in two years at the season opener in Dubai this month.
In an exclusive interview with RugbyPass after the United States’ quarter-final loss to traditional sevens heavyweights New Zealand, Hughes revealed he has “unfinished business” at the Games.
ADVERTISEMENT
“At the Olympics, I feel like I’ve got some unfinished business there. Both in Tokyo and in Rio (we) didn’t quite get the performances we wanted at the Games,” Hughes said.
“Would love to have another crack at that bit for not just concentrating on getting back in the mix with the team and trying to reestablish and figure out my role within the team and how I can best push the team forward.
“Kind of had left the door open. The plan was kind of to come back but was figuring out all sorts of things,” he added when asked whether it was always the plan to return.
“Almost a dream scenario was that I was happy to move on with my life and I was feeling in a good place but I definitely missed it too much, missed being with the boys, missed being with the team.
Madison Hughes is BACK ‼️
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) December 2, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
“Excited to be back here and now we’ll see what happens.”
Walking into The Sevens Stadium for the first time in four years as an active United States player on Saturday morning, Hughes looked focused ahead of his comeback tournament.
USA opened their campaign with a tough loss to Fiji later that morning but bounced back with big wins over Great Britain and France to round out pool play.
But the All Blacks Sevens proved to be a mountain too tough to climb early on the second day. New Zealand ran away with a relentlessly dominant 40-nil win over Mike Friday’s men.
With the Americans looking to make amends on the SVNS circuit after a year of “inconstancy” in 2022/23 – with the Eagles finishing 10th – the quarter-final defeat offers more lessons to be learnt.
“As we reflect on that game, kick-offs are the ones that stand out to me – we just weren’t recovering our own ball and they were recovering a lot of their own kicks,” Hughes said.
“We really didn’t have much possession and if you have to defend for very long periods against a team like New Zealand they’re going to start finding gaps.
“I think we have to have a look at that kick-off and then see defensively where they were coming through us.”
Hughes’ return should put a smile on the faces of sevens fans around the world, but those very same supporters will also be counting down the days until another American makes his return.
Two-time World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Perry Baker was rested for the Dubai leg of the 2023/24 SVNS Series after helping the USA qualify for the Olympics.
With Baker and Hughes both in the mix for selection, there’s plenty to like about the potential of the USA Eagles Sevens and the heights they could reach if they get things right.
“There’s definitely a little bit of a different balance with the squad. We had a lot of very established people within the team who’ve been there for a long period of time and some of those are still around.
“We’ve got a good young group coming through and I think that’s really exciting to see and that’s what’s going to take the team forward.
“We’ve got guys who are resting this weekend so Perry Baker, Kevon Williams, Joe Schroeder and Stphen Tomasin – four fantastic players.
“When they come back into the mix I think you’ll see a little bit more of that balance between the experienced guys and that younger, exciting group that are coming through.
“It’s a fun balance, I think it’s a fun group to be around. I’m 31 now and they’re a bunch of 20, 22-year-olds so that’s taking me back to my youth and that’s a good fun team to be in.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments