Big Opportunities in 7s Camp

Sunday May 3, 2009 in Elite Level Rugby USA 7s

May 3, 2009 – Sunday brings the assembly of the USA 7s team as they prepare for the final two tournaments in the IRB Sevens World Series.

USA 7s coach Al Caravelli has some changes to make as the overseas players are expected to remain with their clubs, and other players are looking at XVs Eagles callups.

Expected back is Kevin Swiryn, who may well be asked to step on for the XVs Eagles. Swiryn was not rated by former Eagles coach Scott Johnson, and is well aware that Caravelli re-opened the door for him. Now the 7s team captain will likely want to make himself available for the coach who made it happen for him.

But still, Eddie O’Sullivan may want Swiryn for the USA v. Ireland game May 31 and USA v. Wales a week later.

Caravelli will hold a two-week camp starting Sunday. The first week will include half of his squad, and will focus more on general rugby skills and fitness, therefore allowing those players to be set up for any type of assembly, 7s or XVs.

This first group will be young players and those relatively new to the USA 7s setup, and then the more experienced players will join the team.

Among those new guys, Richard Herbert, a former high school football standout who played gridiron at Cal Poly before switching to rugby. Herbert is a 6-2, 220 flanker who runs a 4.5 40 yards. He is quick, big and physical.

Steve Brown is a similar type of player. A former scholarship baseball player at Stanford, Brown is fast enough to play in the backs and big enough to play in the forwards.

Grant Dismuke is a small, wiry speedster from Cal Poly who got a track scholarship to CPSLO and ran a 10.6 100 meters.

San Diego State center Steve Mulhall has been impressive for the Aztecs and he has the makings of a great team guy. Another Aztec, Alex Ross, has a variety of skills and while he is not big, he packs some power and has few who can match his pace. He has what coaches call “closing speed.”

College players abound – Marco Barnard can play scrumhalf or hooker. Brendan O’Meara comes across as a faster, shorter version of Swiryn.

Caravelli has also cast his eye on the wealth of talent waiting to be tapped in Hawaii. Mike Palefau is expected to return to the team now that his studies are done. But that’s not all. Michael Tuia went to the same high school as Palefau and is 6-2, 218 and 20 years old. He played running back, wide receiver, defensive back and special teams at the University of Hawaii, so you know he has speed.

Tuia is now playing in the Hawaiian men’s league and turning heads there. Sia Tukuafo is 6-4, 240 and 19 years old. A loose forward in XVs, Tukuafo pans out as a prop in 7s.

Brad Keys, the former Louisville University sprinter, is back after recovering from a dislocated shoulder. New to rugby when he first began training with the USA 7s team, Keys has to his advantage the fact that he has not only learned a lot about rugby, he has learned a lot about the Caravelli way.

Very few players make the 7s team the first time they show up at camp (Chris Wyles was the only one). It takes a lot of setbacks to make that team. Keys has enormous potential. He is big enough to be a forward but has the pace to be a back.

More experienced in rugby but new to the assembly is Corey Blair, who, like most of the new players, combines size and pace and that could mean he’s both a forward and a back. Caravelli knows depth is crucial, and versatility is often a player’s ticket into the inner circle.

USA U20 stars Zach Test (wing or prop) and Tai Enosa (scrumhalf, center, wing) will get a first shot as well.

In the second week, look for the return of James Gillenwater (healthy once more and a potential captain if Swiryn can’t be there), wing Justin Boyd, prop Mark Bokhoven, and prop/center Thretton Palamo.

The ever-improving PJ Komongnan and Zach Pangelinan have a great shot at solidifying their place. Jone Naqica is coming off an injury, but should be a lock to make the team if he’s healthy.

Shalom Suniula is injured, and Rikus Pretorius and Nese Malifa are out long-term due to surgery. Matt Hawkins is also out, while Chris Wyles’ availability remains a question.

But all that means there are plenty of positioned where players can challenge for places. If you assume that the returning players will earn back their spots, there’s still room for two props, a hooker, and at least one more back.

But amazingly, Caravelli has somehow handled the craziness of the player availability, the budget crunch that reduces the size of his assembly, and the player turnover. He’s got a pool of big, strong, fast players from all over the American rugby landscape. Can they make an immediate impact despite their youth? Pangelinan did. Boyd did. Prtetorius did. Swiryn did.

Now it’s someone else’s turn.


- Alex Goff © www.erugbynews.com