Steven Tomasin in training for the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, South Africa on 8 September 2022.
She hopes for a podium in Cape Town, but Bidewell’s target is set well beyond this weekend.
“It’s a little bit behind the normal World Cup, so it feels more like the start of next season than the end of last season,” Bidewell said. Yes, but we can’t do that at the expense of being ready for the Olympic qualifying season.”
On the men’s side, Americans are more concerned with injuries than rust.
The United States lost both Joe Schroeder and Folau Niua to injuries in the final match of the World Rugby Sevens Series, and captain Kevon Williams was already out before the start.
Manager Mike Friday said of the LA Sevens, “The downside of the weekend is that we’re down to eight injuries in the final game against Kenya.” It gives me the opportunity to try a game that I don’t have.”
Depending on the pre-round 16 meeting, either Samoa or Uganda will provide the young US team with an opening test on Friday at 9:39am ET. Samoa in Los Angeles where she placed fourth.
The men’s tournament will feature 24 teams in a knockout format.
“The format of the Rugby World Cup Sevens is basically the NCAA March Madness in September, making the tournament even more brutal,” said Friday. It puts pressure on you, especially on the 7th where you may be at the end of a call that is out of your control, so there is no room for error.Results.”
Only three of Friday’s 13 players – Perry Baker, Maka Unufe and captain Steven Thomasin – qualified for the 2018 World Cup in San Francisco, with the United States finishing sixth. Unufhe will participate in his third World Cup.
“The team is in really good shape,” Thomasin said. “The last month and a half to two months have been a bit of an unfortunate turn of events, with some of our senior players getting injured. Yes, if you do
“We consider ourselves one of the top five or six teams in the world. The standard is not lowered.”
Thomasin said young U.S. players stepped into the breach.
“They have been asked to do so and have learned a lot over the past few months,” says Tomasin. “Our standards will not be lowered. We will make them ours.”
“I think the biggest positive that comes out of injuries is that it forces young players to get more playing time. The only way to get more experience is to play. .”
This knockout tournament offers young Americans a baptism of fire.
“This is intense,” said Thomasin. “Our sport is already one of the most intense in the world. In a straight knockout format, you don’t really slip. The pressure is great, but that’s what makes our sport great.” ”
