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USA have landed a trip to the meat grinder in Pacific Nations Cup semi-finals

The USA team acknowledge the crowd postgame. Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images

The Challenge

As a reward for a decisive win over Canada and a strong performance in a loss to Japan, USA has earned the right to run into the teeth of the meat grinder that is Fiji– though in this case, the meat grinder is also a magician who does ballet. So dangerous have Fiji proved themselves in two thumping wins over Samoa and Tonga that they only needed fourteen men in their most recent match after an early red card. While the Flying Fijians historically had all of the flair but routinely suffered lapses in execution and discipline, the introduction of the Fijian Drua to Super Rugby has given these players year-round training and consistent coaching, leading to a quarter-final appearance in the 2023 World Cup. Currently sitting at tenth in the world rankings, Fiji can count themselves among the world’s most dangerous teams on their day.

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Across the field from them, the green-if-not-young USA squad has started to show some real identity under new head coach Scott Lawrence. The bravery and physicality he admires have shown in the ball carrying of Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz and tackling of Cory Daniel, the lethal set-piece strikes have come from wingers Connor Mooneyham and Nate Augspurger, and flyhalf Luke Carty’s kicking from hand has come as a revelation. However, due to health or selection, neither Fa’anana-Schultz nor Carty have made the matchday roster, and in fact even captain Greg Peterson has found himself moved to the bench. In fact, Lawrence has rotated almost the entire spine of the team, with 2, 8, 10, and 15 all rotating, including Chris Mattina into flyhalf and Toby Fricker (uncapped) at fullback. While the Eagles will enter every match with a warrior’s mentality, seeking a win, Lawrence has clearly opted for blooding new talent and trying new combinations, which gives us some more exciting reasons to watch.

Head-to-Head

Last 2 Meetings

Wins
2
Draws
0
Wins
0
Average Points scored
21
9
First try wins
100%
Home team wins
100%

What to Watch For

New Blood at Ten– While Chris Mattina has bounced around the backfield in his career, primarily between flyhalf and fullback, he does not have a huge body of work at the playmaker position, especially at the international level. What he lacks in the intelligent kicking game of Carty he brings dangerous ball carrying to the line, having cut his teeth on the sevens circuit. However, the most exciting face is on the bench in the form of Rand Santos, the USA u20s sensation fresh off a finals appearance in the World Trophy. Tapped as the future in the position in America, hopefully, this comes as the first of many caps in the red, white, and blue. 

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New Blood at Fullback– Not since former captain Chris Wyles in 2015 has USA had an automatic selection at fullback; a rotating staff has filled the position since, and the USA’s backfield has suffered for the lack of consistency. The new face starting on the weekend is Toby Fricker, a Welshman qualified for the Eagles through his mother, who brings URC and English Premiership experience as well as a couple of Welsh Sevens appearances. Though on the older side for a first cap at 29, if he can anchor the position through the next World Cup the Americans will have found a fantastic new asset. 

Heart of the American Team– Often the uphill battles reveal the most about the character of teams, challenging them to maintain composure in the face of distinctly uncomfortable and difficult positions. This Fijian team can uniquely frustrate opponents– their offload game alone can feel unstoppable at times– and the Eagles will need to stick to their game plan and process throughout the match. Can the Americans keep composure and keep moving forward, where previous teams might have let the wheels fall off?

Related

In Summary

If we look at this match and this lineup in its place within the larger plan and process leading to World Cup 2027, it’s an exciting step toward the next era of the Eagles. Expect the game plan to feature long periods of frustration to try to grind the Fijians into penalty trouble, as well as stifling their dynamic attack with intelligent kick chase and defence. The USA will want to put enough continued periods of play together to get the new combinations and players valuable looks, while continuing to build their physical defensive identity. All that being said, I’m not picking against the Eagles. USA to win in a shootout. 

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J
JW 3 hours ago
Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

24 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

Yeah of course it can be, it manages a good commerical outcome when 100 million people are following it. I’m saying rugby is no where near even remotely close to getting the payoff you’re talking about, never mind the distinct lack of anyway to implement it.


So you’re going for the dirty approach. I’m not surprised, it’s the only way to easily implement it right now. I wouldn’t see the benefit to doing that myself. A draft, if purely feasible in it’s own right, doesn’t need to provide commercial benefit at all (if it works, that’s all it needs to do, as it no doubt did back in america’s heyday). But without the advantageous backing of sponsors and interest levels, if you pick the wrong method to implement it, like a dirty approach, you do potential harm to it’s acceptance.


The aspect’s of the approach you chose that I don’t like, is that the franchises are the ones spending the money of the U20’s only for there opposition to get first dibs. Personally, I would much prefer an investment into a proper pathway (which I can’t really see SR U20s being at all in anycase). I’m not exactly sure how the draft works in america, but I’m pretty sure it’s something like ‘anyone whishing to be pro has to sign for the draft’, and results in maybe 10 or 20% of those being drafted. The rest (that accumulative 80/90% year on year) do go back into club, pronvincial, or whatever they have there, and remain scouted and options to bring in on immediate notice for cover etc. You yes, you draw on everybody, but what is generating your interest in the drafties in the first plaec?


This is your missing peace. If some come through school and into the acadamies, which would be most, you’ve currently got three years of not seeing those players after they leave school. Those that miss and come in through club, maybe the second year theyre in the draft or whatever, aged 20/21, you’re going to have no clue how they’ve been playing. NPC is a high level, so any that are good enough to play that would already be drafted, but some late bloomers you might see come in NPC but then Sky’s not going to broadcast that anymore. So what’s generating this massive interest you’re talking about, and most importantly, how does it tie in with the other 7 clubs that will be drafting (and providing) players outside of NZ?


Is the next step to pump tens of millions into SRP U20s? That would be a good start for investment in the youth (to get onto international levels of pathway development) in the first place but are fans going to be interested to the same level as what happens in america? Baseball, as mentioned, has the minor leagues, if we use that model it hasn’t to be broad over the whole pacific, because you’re not having one draft right, they all have to play against each other. So here they get drafted young and sent out into a lower level thats more expansive that SR, is there interest in that? There would be for large parts, but how financially viable would it be. Twiggy tried to get a league started and NPC clubs joined. BOP and Taranaki want SR representation, do we have a mix of the biggest clubs and provinces/states make a couple of divisions? I think that is far more likely to fan interest and commerical capabilities than an U20 of the SR teams. Or ofc Uni fits a lot of options. I’ve not really read anything that has tried to nut out the feasability of a draft, it can certainly work if this spitballing is anything to go by, but I think first theres got to be a need for it far above just being a drafting level.

36 Go to comments
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