HSBC Sevens World Series returns to Hong Kong for its seventh round of competition this weekend, with the tournament kicking off Friday morning for U.S. viewers due to time zones.
The most venerable (if a nonstop party can be venerable) of the sevens tournaments, Hong Kong hosts 40 teams in three competitions this year.
Men's Sevens World Series Round 7
USA head coach Mike Friday has selected an interesting group of players for Hong Kong, with the regulars mixed in with some up-and-comers.
The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program sends former Central Washington star Pat Blair and former Life University star Cody Melphy on the trip, while Brett Thompson continues his way back from injury. Maka Unufe and Stephen Tomasin, who both have been hurt, are back.
It's a squad of 15 going to Hong Kong, with Blair and Melphy playing with Tiger Rugby at the Hong Kong 10s beforehand. The large squad allows Friday to figure out who is healthy for the tournament.
Kevon Williams has been earning more and more playing time as a wing or center, and it remains to be seen whether we'll see Carlin Isles and Perry Baker on the field at the same time once more.
Here's the full USA traveling squad:
Perry Baker
Danny Barrett
Pat Blair
Martin Iosefo
Carlin Isles
Malon Al-Jiboori
Matai Leuta
Chris Mattina
Cody Melphy
Folau Niua
Ben Pinkelman (C)
Brett Thompson
Stephen Tomasin
Maka Unufe
Kevon Williams
This team, of course, won the USA Sevens in Las Vegas and then took fourth in the Canada Sevens in Vancouver.
The Eagles faded somewhat in Vancouver, in part thanks to injuries, and now sit in sixth place overall in the World Series standings.
"We have worked hard to try and get the balance right between recovery and on-field work to allow us to be in the best position to perform come Hong Kong weekend," Friday said. "It has been a tough training camp for the lads who haven't had much time to recover from the previous two legs; and, due to the change in schedule this year, we have even less time to prepare."
Friday added that he wants the likes of Tomasin and Unufe back, but he has to be careful not to rush them.
"It's great to have Steve and Maka back to bring further strength, experience, and attacking firepower into the team," Friday said. "Both players are hugely versatile, balancing the extended traveling squad. With a few minor injury concerns, we will make a final decision the week of the tournament."
The Eagles are in Pool D with 13th-place Wales, fifth-place Argentina, and 10th-place France. It's the kind of pool in which a sleepy team can go 0-3 and one that's tightly focused can run the table. Friday said that with some teams selecting down as they prepare for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, in a week this pool ends up being one of the toughest (Argentina and France won't be at the Games).
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Notes
With the Commonwealth Games affecting South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Samoa, England, Scotland, Wales, and Fiji, the USA has an excellent chance of winning Hong Kong.
Perry Baker now leads the World Series in tries with 32—this despite the fact he missed almost all of the first two tournaments.
Australia's James Stannard, who is second in points in the series, will miss Hong Kong and the Commonwealth Games after being sucker-punched outside a kebab shop. The attack fractured his skull and could have killed the Australia star. (Australians call it a coward punch, which is a way better term than sucker punch.)
The first round of the Hong Kong Sevens kicks off at 6 AM ET, 3 AM PT Friday, with the USA playing France at 6:24/3:24 AM.
More Than One Tournament
The Hong Kong Sevens is also the qualification tournament for the 2018-19 Sevens World Series for both men and women.
Countries that are not one of the 15 core teams in the men's World Series, or the 11 core teams in the women's World Series, are competing in a tournament to earn a spot in that rarified group. Twelve men's teams and 12 women's teams will play their own separate tournament to earn a place in next year's core group.