Team USA Rugby Sevens Named for Tokyo Olympics

USA Rugby announced its 15-man roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. The team, led by Head Coach Mike Friday and Madison Hughes at Captain, features 12 starters, one alternate, and two traveling reserves.

Seven of the 12 starters competed at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 where the United States men fell shy of the medal rounds by a points differential of one.

Meet the men who will represent @TeamUSA at the #TokyoOlympics.

And the loved ones who've been there since Day One. #USMNT7s | #EaglesUnited 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/2KGoc9g0eY

— USA Rugby (@USARugby) July 2, 2021

 

The team has four players who have made more than 50 appearances in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series including Captain Hughes, Danny Barrett, Carlin Isles, and Folau Niua.

Isles is known as the fastest rugby player in the world and is the USA Men’s all-time leading try scorer. Barrett brings physicality and strength and in 2018 he was featured on ESPN’s Sports Center Top 10 for an incredible leap into the try zone.

Niua is the most capped USA Sevens player of all time with 69 World Series tournaments. In 2019 he was nominated as World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year alongside Stephen Tomasin who will appear in his first Olympics next month.

The squad also features 2017 and 2018 Player of the Year Perry Baker who, alongside Isles, has more than 200 tries in the aforementioned World Series.

Three other players will accompany the team to Toyko. Brett Thompson is an alternate, while Malacchi Esdale and Naima Fuala’au travel as reserves.

Head Coach Friday said: “This selection process has been incredibly competitive and that is a credit to the entire squad, especially off the back of what has been a hugely difficult year for the world. We’ve worked hard as a group to adapt and overcome all the adversities we’ve faced both individually and collectively. We look forward to representing the USA Rugby Community as we chase our spot on the podium. “

“Our pool is being positioned by others as the pool of death and we recognize the magnitude of the task in front of us with South Africa, Kenya, and Ireland. As a squad, we are both determined to meet and rise to this challenge.”

“The entire pack — both 15 selected for Tokyo and our greater residency squad — will push one another over the coming weeks to ensure we are fully ready to represent this country with pride.”

Since Mike Friday arrived in 2014, the USA Men’s Sevens Team rose from nearly last place in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series to become one of the top-four teams in the World.

In 2019, the final full season before the COVID-19 pandemic, the USA Men claimed seven medals in 10 tournaments, holding a No. 1 World Ranking until the final event where they finished No. 2. For more information on records and the latest results, visit Tokyo.USA.rugby/men’s-info/.

The USA Men depart for Japan in mid-July and spend the first-week training in Mimasaka. Following the pre-Olympics camp, the squad will transfer to Tokyo for the Opening Ceremony which takes place July 22.

Men’s rugby competition runs from July 26-28 where they will face South Africa, Kenya, and Ireland in Pool C. All matches will be broadcast on NBC’s family of networks.

All team nominations are subject to USOPC approval.

2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Rugby Sevens Team

2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Rugby Sevens Staff

• Head Coach Mike Friday
• Assistant Coach Phil Greening
• Head of Physical Performance John Hood
• Head of Analysis Dave Gardner
• Head Athletic Trainer Kevin Ng
• Massage Therapist Kim Zucconi
• Team Leader Scott Novack

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