A missed conversion separated Fiji and the U.S. in Clermont-Ferrand. /// Photo: Isabelle Picarel / World Rugby •
On Monday, Aug. 8, the Olympics will honor its first-ever women’s rugby 7s medalists. For fans, that date will become a benchmark: Where were you when [to be determined] won the first Gold Medal? Twelve teams have been envisioning themselves atop the podium, but there are three days of competition to contest before those dreams are realized.
Team USA isn’t a medal favorite, but there’s nothing better than rooting for a dark horse. We’re all hoping for the complete game that we’ve yet to see – one that starts with Jill Potter, Carmen Farmer and Katie Johnson battling in the air for the restarts; sees grinders like captain Kelly Griffin, Ryan Carlyle and Joanne Fa’avesi pressuring those breakdowns; and playmakers like Alev Kelter, Bui Baravilala and Richelle Stephens placing finishers Lauren Doyle, Jessica Javelet and Vix Folayan into space for some magic. All of those individual responsibilities need to fit into a system to which they’re all devoted, and they need to have the confidence and support to shine when those opportunities arise.
The expectation for Pool A’s finish mimics the seeding: Australia, USA, Fiji, Colombia. There is potential for three Cup quarterfinalists, but the third-place team will need to beat the point differential. First up for the U.S. is Fiji, which is easily the most important pool play game for group A. Win this game and, essentially, claim your seed to the final eight.
Fiji is big, strong and athletic, and although the Americans have historically triumphed in this duel, there is no sense that this opener will be easy. The Fijians are risk-takers, and they seem to flourish when the game gets chaotic, forcing their opponents to get scrappy and then taking advantage of scrambling defenses. Both the U.S. and Fiji need to be careful with discipline, however, as the pair racked up 15 yellow cards (8 to the U.S., 7 to Fiji) across five Women’s Sevens Series (WSS) tournaments in 2015-16.
That’s why composure is going to be a determinant in this match. Fiji will find consistency in captain Ana Roqica, Viniana Riwai and Rusila Nagasau, all three of whom placed in the top 10 for matches played on the ’15-’16 WSS. Nagasau is Fiji’s leading point-scorer, while Roqica has banked the most tries this previous WSS. Twenty-four-year-old Luisa Tisolo has also been influential on the scoreboard. And don’t forget 33-year-old Rebecca Tavo, who helped Australia win the first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup 7s title in 2009.
The U.S. needs its defense to shine and shut down Fijiana’s open-field theatrics. It starts with a smothering in tight, and watch for Potter, Fa’avesi and Farmer to lead in the way of aggression. The team needs to stay connected as the ball moves away from contact and through the phases, and players like Doyle, Javelet and Folayan must guard against the fend and halt Fijiana’s offloading game before it begins.
This is nothing new for the Americans, who rely on their defense to produce offense. When they get the ball in hand, U.S. supporters will be eager to see what’s developed since France in May, when the teams last met. The Americans won that game 14-12. Points wise, the U.S. averaged 15.48 per game on the WSS series, while Fiji averaged 13.86.
Saturday will end with South American champion Colombia, whose most intriguing quality is Nathalie Marchino. Veteran of multiple U.S. Women’s National Team tours, including 7s and 15s World Cups, Marchino was recently re-added to the squad after being excluded in July. There is great familiarity there, and whether or not any viewers ever dreamed of a Marchino vs. Doyle or Folayan or Potter match-up, it’ll likely unfurl.
Colombia made one appearance on the WSS – Atlanta – and has set a goal of finishing ninth overall at the Olympics, so it may secure a spot on the 2016-17 WSS. The U.S. should use the match to work its lineup, and build some momentum and confidence to carry over into day two.
Sunday will have a completely different feel. The jitters will have, hopefully, abated, and the team’s first opponent will be the tournament favorite, Australia. While all of the pressure rests on the reigning WSS champion, the game will serve as a gauge for the Americans: What is the distance between us and the best in the world?
Australia boasts impressive statistics. The team went 27-3 on the WSS, scoring 3.9 tries per game. Four of the top-10 point-scorers wear yellow and green: Emilee Cherry (2), Chloe Dalton (4), Ellia Green (7) and Emma Tonegato (10). Green and Tonegato were also tied for most clean breaks. Co-captain Sharni Williams, who shares leadership duties with Shannon Parry, led the field in tackles made, while teammate Alicia Quirk and Cherry landed in the top 10.
But for all of the stats, it’s the feeling of a plan reaching fruition that is most impressive. The international field watched as Australia improved with every WSS season, building its game around players who are now familiar entities – even the young ones. The squad averages 25 years old, and 21-year-olds Caslick and Tonegato are such threats with ball in hand. No one would be surprised if the Olympics ended with Australia atop the podium.
Depending on where the U.S. sits at this point might dictate what’s seen on the pitch. If the Americans are 2-0 and guaranteed a Cup quarterfinals berth, then strategies for the upcoming round might be in place. That said, the Americans can’t go into the knockouts with a beating on their back. Even if they lose to Australia, the U.S. needs to produce the physical, creative and sound game of which they’re capable. They need that belief to take them deeper into the tournament.
If the U.S. finishes runner-up in Pool A, then it will most likely face Canada or Great Britain in the Cup quarterfinals. If the U.S. finishes third in Pool A, then it will play either the winner of Pool A or Pool B (likely New Zealand) Monday morning.
If you want to watch all of the games (and have cable), then start with the NBC Olympics live-stream. Coverage starts 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST on Saturday, Aug. 6.
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