Today would be a good day to start on fulfilling the promise of U.S. rugby.
With the last game the Eagles will play in the Rugby World Cup 2015 only a few hours away, it’s worth taking a further look at what the Eagles coaching staff has said about the future of the game in the United States.
After the 64-0 loss to South Africa on Wednesday, head coach Mike Tolkin said, “At this World Cup you don’t get any 80, 90, or 100-point scores. They (players) played against a full Springboks side. In four years’ time it will be really interesting to see what happens. It would have been interesting to see what a full (USA) side would have done against the Springboks.”
No one at the post-game media conference followed up on what Tolkin meant by a “full” side. The players he rested for today’s game against Japan? The players that Tolkin sees in the future?
And he does see better U.S. sides in the future, as does the rest of his coaching staff.
Before the game against the Springboks, Chris O’Brien was quoted on the Rugby World Cup media site saying the USA would become more powerful in future World Cups. The kicking and special teams coach said, “I think we’ve competed already at a higher level than we have at previous World Cups. The wins and losses don’t show it but we’ve become a better rugby nation, that’s shown through the first half against Scotland and Samoa.
(USA Rugby photo)
“Absolutely the game is growing. It’s the fastest growing sport in the country right now and you’re seeing that. When we travel we see kids playing. They start at five or six years old. You’ll see in the next two World Cups where that’s really going to show.”
O’Brien went on to talk about something that could provide a big boost to the game in America: Sevens in next summer’s Olympics. Assuming it gets prime time television coverage, it could spur more interest in the game, especially when the rest of America finds out their country has been the defending rugby Olympic champions for 90 years.
O’Brien led up to the sevens game in his answer to whether professional rugby will develop in the U.S.:
“I honestly can’t answer that. I’ve heard about it for the last 15, 20 years but it hasn’t happened; there’s always talk. In the States all of our big sports pay so much money. In one sense I can get an NFL player to come and play rugby, but it’s so hard to teach the sport and they want something. They’re used to being in a different environment so it’s pretty tough. That’s why it’s building the foundations from youth all the way up and getting these guys through.
“The dream of an American is to play in the NFL, the NBA, major league baseball. Now you also want to be an Olympian. You can teach someone sevens (rugby) quicker than 15s.”
Probably all this talk about how good it will be in future World Cups won’t satisfy those who have been hearing it for so long. And a reduction in runaway scores from 100 points down to 64 seems like being on a nearly never-ending diet before reaching the goal of a win or two.
But a win today in Gloucester would help make believable something Lou Stanfill, a Seattle Saracen player who has more than 50 caps for the U.S., said earlier this week:
“The direction things are going, future World Cups hold huge amounts of promise for us and America intends to fulfill that promise.”
Today would be a good time to start.
John, I am trying to wrap my arms around some of these comments. Future promise? Based on what? First, this is an 80 minute game. It’s not a 20 minute game, a 40 minute game, or even a 60 minute game. Chris OB and I have been friends (and teammates) for a very long time, but I just don’t understand where this completely ungrounded assessment comes from. I love ‘positivism’ and looking on the bright side (my company mates feel I only look on the bright side), but lets be pragmatic and for lack of a better term, realistic.
Look at tonight. Dropped balls in the open field that leave tries begging, and on at least two of their scores mental faux pas’ that led to tremendous pressure that ultimately was our downfall. Our scrimmage was beaten (again) by a pack that was outweighed something to the tune of 15 lbs/man.
“The direction things are going” ?? Seriously, what direction is that exactly? I have made some assessments myself in my posts. I must be very disoriented.
Lets be positive, but at least be real about it. And not just say positive things for the sake of saying them because it makes us feel better.