All told, it could be another strong tournament. However, Tokyo was just one of six tournaments so far and the Eagles still have questions to answer. They beat Samoa last week but there is no guarantee of doing the same thing this week. New Zealand are New Zealand while the U.S. hasn't exactly beaten Scotland this year. Hong Kong will be a crucial turning point in the season and after this weekend we will know if Tokyo was an aberration or if it was a positive sign of things to come.
Take the jump to read more.
The Squad
Head coach Matt Hawkins hasn't made any changes to his roster from Tokyo. That's not unexpected and only an injury would have forced a change. One of the most interesting things from Tokyo was that Hawkins elected to start the same players in all six matches--Nick Edwards, Danny Barrett, Garrett Bender, Zack Test, Brett Thompson, Pono Haitsuka, and Madison Hughes. What worked well as each player stuck to their role and didn't try to do too much but were also willing to step up to the challenge when needed. It is also a very balanced side combining good size in the forwards, shiftiness at halfback, and the right amount of pace on the wings. Teams, especially Samoa, will have had a new look at this group and will have made adjustments. That means the Eagles will have to be ready to adapt themselves.
Outside of the starting group only Mike Palefau, Andrew Durutalo, and Mike Te'o played significant minutes. They also filled the roles well with Durutalo being especially effective off the bench. It will be interesting to see if Marcus Satavu and Ryan Matyas see more time this tournament as fatigue could become an issue.
Squad: Mike Palefau, Nick Edwards, Danny Barrett, Garrett Bender, Zack Test, Brett Thompson, Marcus Satavu, Andrew Durutalo, Pono Haitsuak, Mike Te'o, Madison Hughes, Ryan Matyas
The Opponents
Samoa (6:24 a.m. et/3:24 a.m. pt, Thursday): The U.S. were down against Samoa 19-0 at one point last week and then stormed back in a very strong second half to earn the win. They did it by being more proactive than Samoa and controlling the ball by winning restarts. They also took advantage of the number of new players on the Samoan squad. They will have to do that again this week but given how Samoa looked last week you have to think the U.S. stands a good chance of winning.
Scotland (8:34 p.m. et/5:34 p.m. pt, Friday): As typical Scotland beat some of the minnows on the circuit while losing to top teams on their way to the Bowl final. The U.S. has played Scotland twice this season losing 19-10 in the Gold Coast and then drawing 19-19 in Wellington. Like the U.S., Scotland has only made the Cup quarterfinals once this season. They have the tools to do well but are very beatable. If the U.S. want to move up in the rankings they have to be beating Scotland consistently.
New Zealand (6:10 a.m. et/3:10 p.m. pt, Friday): The All Blacks looked as beatable as they have all season in Tokyo but still came in fourth place. A first ever win over New Zealand would be huge for the Eagles but isn't likely to happen. That said, the U.S. needs to watch the scoreline. If they draw another side it could come down to point differential.
Keys to the Tournament
Possession: The Eagles was outstanding at this last week. They protected the ball when they had it by not giving away a poor pass or a silly penalty. They were also very strong in the air, something they have lacked all season. 7s is a simple game. If you have the ball you are going to score and if you don't you won't. The U.S. must find a way to keep possession once again.
Conversions: For the first time in ages the Eagles made more conversions than they missed. Much of that credit goes to Hughes and Teo but that is just glossing over the issue. Conversions increased because the U.S. were getting tries in better positions. They weren't being pushed to the outside as they had all year.
Limit Conversions: On the flip side, the Eagles did not give up many conversions as a result of chasing opponents down and forcing them to score in the corner. Forcing difficult conversions could be the difference between making the Cup quarterfinals and missing out.
Stay Confident: As mentioned, there are lots of reasons for the U.S. to be confident. They played well. They need to keep that confidence. If they go down against Samoa early than they need to do like they did last week and not lose focus.
Beat Samoa: The U.S. can't go into the Scotland match needing to beat both Scotland and New Zealand to make the Cup quarterfinals. The odds of that happening are slim. The U.S. must beat Samoa first, just like last week, to set up a do or die match with Scotland. That is a much easier route than going against the All Blacks.
Strive for More: Last week was a good performance but there were still plenty of things the team needs to fix. They can't get complacent and need to feel like they most continually improve.
The Takeaway
The Eagles showed their potential last week and now we get to see if it is starting to permanently break through. Veterans like Zack Test, Brett Thompson, and Andrew Durutalo stepped up big time last week while the team also got solid performances from Danny Barrett and Madison Hughes. All of those performances are bright signs. However, without another solid showing this week questions will continue to be asked. A win over Scotland is a must while a win over Samoa is a "should." In the end we think the Eagles are coming into the tournament with the right attitude and will beat both Samoa and Scotland to make the Cup quarterfinals.