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(Former NFLer Leonard Peters returns for the USA. Ian Muir photo)
By Alex Goff
January 17, 2010 - The USA 7s team is on its way to Fiji to play in the Digical Suva 7s and train for another week before playing in the New Zealand International 7s in Wellington and the USA 7s in Las Vegas.
USA head coach Al Caravelli is taking 15 players, several of whom are either new to the squad, or returning from injury. In addition, University of Utah player Thretton Palamo will stay home, but will be a possible injury replacement in Las Vegas.
The squad of 15 is:
Kevin Swiryn (OPSB) Capt.
Marco Barnard (Kutztown University)
Mark Bokhoven (Denver Barbarians)
Bennie Brazell (Unattached)
Nick Edwards (NYAC)
Dimitri Efthimiou (Mystic River)
Paul Emerick (Overmach Parma)
Matt Hawkins (Belmont Shore)
Ata Malifa (Belmont Shore)
Nese Malifa (Belmont Shore)
Peonard Peters (Aspen)
Mile Pulu (SFGG)
Trevor Richards (University of Nebraska)
Shalom Suniula (Pearl City)
Zack Test (Loughborough Students)
Swiryn, Barnard, Bokhoven, and Test are all back from injury. Test has been given the OK from his coaches at Loughborough to play with the USA 7s team. The big development is that Paul Emerick has received permission to join the team from his professional club in Italy. Emerick started for Overmach Parma on Saturday, and then flew in to Los Angeles to join the team.
"Any players coming from professional clubs had to be available for both Wellington and Las Vegas," said Caravelli. "I am really happy about Paul."
The other player of note is Bennie Brazell. A former NFL wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals, and and a five-time NCAA track champion, Brazell was a finalist in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Games. Brazell had his first taste of rugby Sunday at the Olympic Training Center at Chula Vista, where the team loosened up before getting on their airplane. He is completely new to rugby. He joins a recent NFL convert Leonard Peters, who shocked virtually everyone in Dubai and George with his comfort level playing the game.
Kevin Swiryn returns from surgery to lead the team as captain, and he says he is excited about the prospect of a long preparation.
"I watched the team play in the first two events and the inconsistency of their play is a reflection of the inconsistency of the lineup," he said. "The most successful teams have had the least turnover of players, and we've been inconsistent because we have had a lot of changes. That's why I am really excited about Fiji because it gives us an extra week, and an extra tournament, to come together and become a team."
Swiryn said he and the team are very conscious that they have not earned any IRB World Series points in six straight events.
"That's not the standard we set for ourselves," he added. "But this team already is showing n overal committment and willingness to succeed. I can tell they are ready to go to work."
The USA enters the Suva 7s with their first game Thursday, local time. They play over three days against some of Fiji's most formidable teams plus an impressive group of international teams. Then they will train for a week in Fiji before playing some warmup games with the Fijian national team.
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