 | |||
| Union | USA Rugby | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Eagles | ||
| Coach | Simon Amor | ||
| Captain | Stephen Tomasin | ||
| Mostcaps | Folau Niua (387)[note 1] | ||
| Top scorer | Madison Hughes (1,596)[note 2] | ||
| Most tries | Perry Baker (293)[note 3] | ||
| |||
| World Cup Sevens | |||
| Appearances | 8 (First in1993) | ||
| Best result | 6th (2018) | ||
| Official website | |||
| eagles | |||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pan American Games | ||
 | 2011 Guadalajara | Team |
| 2015 Toronto | Team |
| 2019 Lima | Team |
TheUnited States national rugby sevens team competes in internationalrugby sevens competitions. The national sevens team is organized byUSA Rugby, and was led by Head CoachMike Friday from 2014–2024, when he resigned and was replaced bySimon Amor.[1]
The main competition the team plays in every year is theWorld Rugby Sevens Series, a series of ten tournaments played around the globe from December to June that includes theUSA Sevens tournament every spring. The Eagles have been a core team in the World Series and finished in the top twelve each season since 2008–09. The Eagles' best season in the Sevens Series has been a second-place finish in the2018–19 Series. The best result in a single Sevens tournament was first place, which they have accomplished three times — winning the2015 London Sevens and the2018 and2019 USA Sevens.
The team also participates in major tournaments every four years, such as theSummer Olympics, theRugby World Cup Sevens, and thePan American Games. Their best finishes in quadrennial events include finishing ninth at the2016 Olympics, finishing sixth at the2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, and winning bronze medals at the2011,2015 and2019 Pan American Games.
The United States had traditionally used the sevens team to prepare players for theXV-side. Since January 2012, due to increased attention generated byrugby's return to the Olympics in2016, the national sevens team has turned professional, with the team extending paid full-time contracts to its players. The national sevens team has drawn a number of crossover athletes from other sports, the most prominent examples beingPerry Baker (American football) andCarlin Isles (track). The U.S. also sometimes fields a developmental team, theUSA Falcons, in several tournaments.
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The earliest records of an American national rugby sevens team are from the 1986 and 1988 Hong Kong Sevens, where a team named the American Eagles won the Plate Final.[2] The team competed as the United States national rugby sevens team at the inaugural1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The U.S. competed in nine of the ten tournaments in the inaugural1999–2000 World Sevens Series.
The World Rugby Sevens Series, which is played every year from December through June, is the primary annual competition for the U.S. national sevens team.
The U.S. has competed in the World Series every year since the event's inaugural 1999–2000 season. The U.S. had some initial success during the early years of the tournament led byJovesa Naivalu, who held the record for most tries scored until broken by Zack Test. However, the U.S. struggled in the five seasons from 2002–03 through 2006–07.
The 2007–08 season was a turning point for the U.S. team, qualifying for 6 of the 8 series tournaments, and defeating France and Samoa en route to placing sixth at the2007 South Africa Sevens. The team was led byChris Wyles who scored 26 tries on the season. The IRB rewarded the Eagles' success by promoting the U.S. to "core" team status for the 2008–09 season, meaning that the U.S. automatically plays in all 8 tournaments without having to go through qualifying rounds.[3]
The 2008–09 season was a breakout season for the U.S., finishing 11th on the season. The high point of the team's season was the home tournament, the2009 USA Sevens.Nese Malifa's 30 points in that tournament helped the U.S. reach the semifinals, their best result to that time on home soil.
The 2009–10 season saw continued improvement, with the team finishing the season in 10th place. Led byMatt Hawkins and Nese Malifa, the team finished ninth to win the Bowl in the2010 USA Sevens. The U.S. then advanced to their first ever Cup final at the2010 Adelaide Sevens, scoring upset wins against England, Wales and Argentina.
During the 2010–11 season the team took a small step back with a 12th-place finish. A number of key players were unavailable for most or all of the season, including the previous season's leading try scorerNick Edwards and leading point scorer Nese Malifa. Additionally, a number of competing teams had moved to professional status, leaving the mostly amateur U.S. team struggling to keep pace.
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The 2011–12 season saw significant changes for the U.S. The team turned professional in January 2012, with contracts for up to 15 players.[4] The change to professional status did not bring immediate improvement. Head coachAl Caravelli resigned, andAlex Magleby was selected as the new head coach. The U.S. finished the 2011–12 season in 11th, a slight improvement over the previous season, even though the team did not reach the quarterfinals of any of the 9 tournaments. Bright spots for the season included the emerging leadership ofShalom Suniula (captain),Zack Test (team leading 21 tries) andColin Hawley.[5]
The 2012–13 Series saw a slightly different format, with 15 core teams instead of 12, but with the possibility of relegation for the teams that finished in the bottom three. The U.S. got off to a slow start, ranked last among the 15 core teams after the first two legs. The U.S. saw improvement, however, reaching the quarterfinals in five of the last seven tournaments, and finishing in the top 6 during the last three tournaments. The U.S. finished fifth to win the Plate Final at the2013 Japan Sevens, the first time the U.S. had won a plate since 2001,[6] and followed that feat by again finishing fifth to win the Plate Final at the2013 Scotland Sevens,[7] with Nick Edwards the leading try-scorer in the tournament with 8 tries. The U.S. finished the season in 11th place, and had two players among the season's top try-scorers:Nick Edwards (20) andZack Test (18). CoachAlex Magleby stepped down after the season.[8]
The U.S. team fared poorly during the 2013–14 Series under new coachMatt Hawkins, finishing the season in 13th place. Once again, Zack Test led the team with 23 tries and 119 points on the season; other leading scorers includedCarlin Isles with 17 tries, including six at the2014 Wellington Sevens, and newcomerMadison Hughes with 34 goals scored.[9] Hawkins was blamed for the exodus of several veteran players, such asColin Hawley andShalom Suniula, and was asked to step down at the end of the season.[10]
The U.S. had its best season ever in the2014–15 Series under head coachMike Friday, who was hired in summer 2014.[11] The U.S. finished sixth in the series, its best finish to date. The team capped off the season by winning the 2015 London Sevens after defeating Australia in the cup final, the first time the U.S. has won a World Series tournament.[12] Carlin Isles set a U.S. record with 32 tries for the season and Madison Hughes set a record with 296 points.
The U.S. beganthe 2015–16 Series by "shocking the world" when it defeated New Zealand for the first time at2015 Dubai Sevens.[13] The team beat the 12-time World Series champion in pool play and again in the tournament's third-place match[14] before a third victory in as many matches in the2015 South Africa Sevens Plate Semifinal.[15] The U.S. once again finished the season in sixth, tying its best ever finish. The previous season's scoring records were broken again, as Perry Baker notched 48 tries and Madison Hughes scored 331 points.
The U.S. began the 2016-17 World Series slowly, sitting in 11th place after the first three rounds. The U.S. was missing certain key players from the previous season. The U.S. turned things around mid-season. In the second half of the season, the team for the first time reached four consecutive semifinals: first at theUSA Sevens where the U.S. finished third; then at theCanada Sevens where Perry Baker scored 9 tries including his 100th career try; followed by Hong Kong and Singapore. The U.S. finished the season in fifth place overall, a record high for the team. Perry Baker was the season's leading try scorer (57) and points scorer (285) on the Series, whereas Madison Hughes ranked third in points (279). Perry Baker and Danny Barrett were both selected to the 2016-17 Dream Team, and Baker was selected as the 2017World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.
The2017–18 season began badly for the U.S. In the first tournament in Dubai, Baker suffered a concussion, and the rest of the team limped to a last place finish. The U.S. improved from that point on, reaching the semifinals of the Australia Sevens. The team then won the2018 USA Sevens, the first time the U.S. won their home tournament, boosted in large part byPerry Baker, who led all scorers with 8 tries; Baker, along with forwards Ben Pinkelman and Danny Barrett all made the tournament Dream Team.[16][17] Overall the team displayed inconsistent performances, reaching the Cup semifinals three times, but also failing to qualify for the cup quarterfinals three times. Despite the inconsistent play, the U.S. finished sixth overall.
The U.S. got off to a strong start inthe 2018–19 season. The team reached the finals in Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, the first time the U.S. had reached four consecutive finals and was ranked joint first in the overall Series after the first four legs. In the fifth leg, the U.S. won beating Samoa 27–0.[18] This was the U.S.’s second straight USA Sevens win, giving them sole possession of first place in the Sevens World Series. The U.S. remained in first place for several more tournaments, but consecutive semifinal losses to Fiji in the last two tournaments in London and Paris meant that Fiji won the Series with the U.S. finishing second. The U.S. overall had its best season ever — the second place finish beating their previous best of fifth. Additionally, qualifying for five consecutive tournament finals as well as reaching the semifinals in all ten tournaments were U.S. records.[19] Carlin Isles scored 52 tries, ranked first overall among all players.
The U.S. started slowly in the2019–20 season; with the team resting some players who had played at the October2019 Rugby World Cup, the team sat in eighth place after the first two events.
*At the start of the 2016–17 season, the plate and shield awards were abandoned, with the bowl replaced by the Challenge Trophy.
Updated as of April 7, 2025[21]
| Games | Host | Record | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 SVNs Qualifier |  Madrid | 4–0 | Qualified |
The following players have been selected to represent the United States during the2023–24 SVNS tournament beginning in December 2023.
Note: Caps reflect the total number ofSVNS events competed in as of the2023 South Africa Sevens.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orrin Bizer | Forward | (2000-11-28)November 28, 2000 (age 24) | 2 | Unattached |
| Ben Broselle | Forward | (1999-05-23)May 23, 1999 (age 26) | 18 | Unattached |
| Adam Channel | Forward | (1997-01-16)January 16, 1997 (age 28) | 12 | Unattached |
| Aaron Cummings | Forward | (1997-07-01)July 1, 1997 (age 28) | 15 | Unattached |
| Ben Pinkelman (c) | Forward | (1994-06-13)June 13, 1994 (age 31) | 38 | Unattached |
| Lance Williams | Forward | (1993-02-18)February 18, 1993 (age 32) | 4 | Utah Warriors |
| Will Chevalier | Back | (2000-09-18)September 18, 2000 (age 25) | 3 | Unattached |
| Malacchi Esdale | Back | (1995-05-04)May 4, 1995 (age 30) | 20 | Unattached |
| Naima Fuala'au | Back | (1996-02-03)February 3, 1996 (age 29) | 24 | Unattached |
| Madison Hughes | Back | (1992-10-26)October 26, 1992 (age 33) | 54 | Unattached |
| Lucas Lacamp | Back | (2001-06-04)June 4, 2001 (age 24) | 15 | Unattached |
| Marcus Tupuola | Back | (1995-10-05)October 5, 1995 (age 30) | 26 | Unattached |
| Pita Vi | Back | (2002-01-31)January 31, 2002 (age 23) | 5 | Unattached |
A pool of American full-time professional rugby players train year round at theOlympic Training Center in San Diego.[4][22] The twelve players selected for tournament rosters are generally drawn from this training squad. For particularly high-profile tournaments such as the Olympics, the U.S. sometimes draws from American players who are playing rugby professionally abroad.
USA Rugby has since January 2012 provided full-time salaried contracts to players. Previously, players had been part-time semi-pro players paid a stipend for their participation. USA Rugby CEONigel Melville stated that a full-time sevens team is a crucial step as USA Rugby prepares for rugby's return to theOlympics in 2016.
The inclusion of rugby sevens in the Olympics had greatly expanded funding available to the sport in the U.S.[23] The large pool ofAmerican football players who may be unable to earn professional contracts in theNFL meant there may be athletes with skills that could transfer to rugby union.[23]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Simon Amor[24] |
| Assistant coach | Ben Pinkelman |
| Assistant coach | Perry Baker |
| Strength & Conditioning | Josh Schnell |
| Athletic Trainer | Colby Thompson |
| Games | Host | Record | Result | Most tries | Most points | Qualifying |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |  Rio, Brazil | 3–2 | 9th | C. Isles (6) | C. Isles (30) | 2015 NACRA Sevens(1st) |
| 2020 |  Tokyo, Japan | 3–2 | 6th | Isles /Baker (3) | M. Hughes (26) | 2018–19 World Series(2nd) |
| 2024 |  Paris, France | 1–1–4 | 8th | Baker (6) | Baker (30) | 2023 RAN Sevens (1st) |
Although the fifteens version ofrugby union hadlast appeared in the Olympics at the 1924 Games, rugby sevens made its debut at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. qualified for the 2016 Olympics by defeating Canada 21–5 in the final of the2015 NACRA Sevens.[25] At the 2016 Olympics, the U.S. went 1–2 in pool play, narrowly missing the quarterfinals due to a 14–17 loss to Argentina. The U.S. finished in ninth place, withCarlin Isles scoring six tries andDanny Barrett scoring four tries. The U.S. defeated Canada 24–14 in the 2023 RAN Sevens to clinch a spot at the2024 Olympics.[26]
The U.S. has participated in every Rugby World Cup Sevens since the tournament's inception in 1993. The team's best performance to date has been its sixth-place finish at the 2018 tournament, which was held on home soil.
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | L | D | Most tries | Most points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1993 | Group Stage | 17th | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||
 1997 | Bowl Winner | 17th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | Malakai Delai | |
 2001 | Plate Quarterfinalist[27][28] | 13th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
 2005 | Bowl Quarterfinalist | 13th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
 2009 | Plate Quarterfinalist | 13th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
 2013 | Plate Quarterfinalist | 13th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Nick Edwards (4) | Nick Edwards (20) |
 2018 | 5th-Place Final | 6th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Perry Baker (3) | Madison Hughes (32) |
 2022 | Challenge Trophy Semifinal | 11th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Perry Baker (4) | Perry Baker (20) |
| Total | 0 Titles | 8/8 | 40 | 15 | 25 | 0 | Baker /Delai (7) | Perry Baker /Delai (35) |
The U.S. has played rugby sevens at every Pan Am Games since the sport was introduced at the 2011 Games. At the2011 Games, the U.S. lost 19–21 to Canada in the semifinals before defeating Uruguay 19–17 for the bronze. At the2015 Games, the U.S. again lost to Canada 19–26 in the semifinals and defeated Uruguay 40–12 to capture their second consecutive bronze.[29] At the2019 Games, a weakened U.S. side that left its regular starters at home defeated Brazil 24–19 to take the bronze medal.
| Year | Host | Record (W-L-D) | Result | Most tries | Most points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 |  Guadalajara, Mexico | 3–2–1 | 3rd | Maka Unufe (5) | Folau Niua (41) |
| 2015 |  Toronto,Canada | 5–1 | 3rd | Carlin Isles (6) | Madison Hughes (31) |
| 2019 |  Lima, Peru | 3–2 | 3rd | Travion Clark (6) | Travion Clark (30) |
| 2023 |  Santiago, Chile | 3–2 | 4th | Nick Orlando Hardrict II Pita Vi (4) | Nick Orlando Hardrict II (22) |
| Games | Host | U.S. Record | U.S. Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Akita, Japan[30] | — | — |
| 2005 |  Duisburg, Germany[31] | 1–5 | 6th |
| 2009 |  Kaohsiung, Taiwan[32] | 2–4 | 5th |
| 2013 |  Cali, Colombia | — | — |
The U.S. has played in several North American regional tournaments, often as a qualifying tournament for the Rugby World Cup Sevens or another event.
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Rugby World Cup Sevens Qualifier – Santiago, Chile | Qualified for RWC 7s (5–2) |
| 2004 | NAWIRA Championship | Champions |
| 2008 | NAWIRA RWC 7s Qualifier | Cup Champions |
| 2015 | NACRA Sevens/Olympic Regional Qualifier | Cup Champions |
| 2023 | RAN Sevens/Olympic Regional Qualifier | Cup Champions |
| Year | Event | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Hong Kong Sevens | Plate Champions | [2] |
| 1988 | Hong Kong Sevens | Plate Champions | [2] |
| 1994 | Hong Kong Sevens | Plate Final | [33] |
| 2006 | Bangkok International Rugby Sevens | Cup Champions | [34] |
| 2006 | Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens | Cup Quarterfinals | [35] |
| 2007 | Singapore Cricket Club International Rugby Sevens | Plate Champions | [36] |
| 2010* | Digicel Suva Rugby Festival International Sevens | Cup Semifinal | |
| 2017 | Silicon Valley Sevens | Cup Finalist | |
| 2019 | Oktoberfest Sevens | 8th place | [37] |
| 2019 | Rugby X Tournament | Semifinals |
* – Played as the USA Cougars[38]
The following tables show the U.S. career leaders in major statistical categories in theWorld Rugby Sevens Series.[39] These figures include only theWorld Rugby Sevens Series and do not include other events such as the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
Up to date as of June 5, 2024
Points[edit]
| Tries[edit]
| Matches[edit]
|
The following United States Sevens players have been recognised at theWorld Rugby Awards since 2004:[43]
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Perry Baker | Perry Baker |
| 2018 | Perry Baker (2) | Perry Baker (2) |
| 2019 | Folau Niua | — |
| Stephen Tomasin |
The following tables show the U.S. season leaders in major statistical categories in theWorld Rugby Sevens Series. These figures include only theWorld Rugby Sevens Series and do not include other events such as the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
|
|
Up to date as of September 13, 2022
| Coach | Tenure | Best Series Finish | Best Series Tournament | Olympics /World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emil Signes | 1987–1990 | — | — | — |
| Steve Finkel | 1991–1994 | — | — | 17th (1993 World Cup) |
| Mike Saunders | 1995–1996 | — | — | — |
| Mark Williams[45] | 1996–1997 | — | — | 17th (1997 World Cup) |
| Bill Russell* | 1997–1999 | — | — | — |
| Tommy Smith[46] | 1999–2001 | 18th (1999–2000) | 12th (multiple) | — |
 John McKittrick[27] | 2001–2005 | 10th (2000–2001) | 3rd (2001 Wellington Sevens) | 13th (2005 World Cup 2001 World Cup) |
| Al Caravelli | 2006–2012 | 10th (2009–10) | 2nd (2009 Adelaide) | 13th (2009 World Cup) |
| Alex Magleby | 2012–2013 | 11th (2011–12, 2012–13) | 5th (multiple) | 13th (2013 World Cup) |
| Matt Hawkins | 2013–2014 | 13th (2013–2014) | 6th (2014 Japan Sevens) | — |
 Mike Friday | 2014–present | 2nd (2018–19) | 1st (2015 London,2018 USA,2019 USA) | 8th (2024 Olympics) 6th (2020 Olympics) 9th (2016 Olympics) 11th (2022 World Cup) 6th (2018 World Cup) |
These statistics are partially sourced from USA Rugby's Database:[48]
Up to date as of August 21st, 2023
Finish Tourney | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Sevens | — | 2018,2021 | 2015 | — |
| South Africa Sevens | — | 2018 | 2022 | 2014[49] |
| Australia Sevens | — | 2010,2019 | — | — |
| New Zealand Sevens | — | 2019 | 2001,2023 | — |
| USA Sevens | 2018,2019 | — | 2009,2017 | — |
| Canada Sevens | — | — | — | — |
| Hong Kong Sevens | — | — | 2019 | 2001 |
| Singapore Sevens | — | 2017 | — | — |
| London Sevens | 2015[50] | — | 2016 | — |
| Paris Sevens | — | — | — | — |
| Scotland Sevens | — | — | — | 2013[51] |
| Japan Sevens | — | — | — | 2013[6] |
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