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DB Nate 'War Daddy' Ebner (3x Super Bowl Champ, USA Rugby)

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wadc45 said:
Nate scores against Fiji but it's not enough to advance as dumb mistakes leads to a 24-19 loss. The restart plays off of penalties were atrocious...slow and predictable. Their decision to play slow off that last lineout when they are in a must score situation and outweighed by 50 lbs at each position was just plain dumb. Didn't adjust in the first half to them throwing an extra guy into each breakdown. And I would have kicked the ball out with the man advantage and gone to the half. Come back with somewhat fresher legs in the second half and a man advantage. Instead we do the opposite and end up giving up a score while playing up a man. Really didn't get beat by a better team in either the Argentina or Fiji games...just beat ourselves.
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Is that coaching/strategy that messed up then?
 
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muffler dragon said:
Is that coaching/strategy that messed up then?
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Honestly my text after the game to my counterparts was [US Head Coach] Mike Friday has some explaining to do. Granted, he and Alex Magleby have raised this program to a level never seen before. But there are definitely some questions that need answered about tactics in this tournament. The USA constantly find themselves giving up a late score to end the half/game that proves crucial. To me that goes back to the man in charge and his staff. That coupled with no one stepping up and making the onfield adjustment to Fiji's counterucking in the first half was maddening. And like I said the restart plays were slow and predictable. Gave Fiji time to adjust to what was in front of them rather than using our speed, playing fast and putting Fiji under duress, where they struggled all day.

I would never blame a loss on a ref but there was a questionable call in the Argentina game [their try that clearly looked like a knock on replay] that didn't go our way and turned out to be a killer. The missed knock in the Argentina game put them up 12-0. The US battled back and took a lead 14-0 thanks to multiple yellow cards against Argentina but then on the ensuing restart kick Niua hooked one badly that didn't go ten, we pick up a couple of penalties and they score in the corner for the win. Why are we not kicking deep there when up 14-12 with a minute to play? Why is he trying to kick short? Why not make them go the length of the field? Is Friday not involved in that decision...he certainly has time during the conversion kick to convey any strategy changes? Overall, the US never got in rhythm in that game...Isles and Baker never got the ball in space and the US at times played right into Argentina's style of keeping things close to the middle of the field and staying in contact.

The no call on Fiji when Barrett had both knees on the ground also proved to be a killer. But the US was put at an advantage via yellow cards throughout the whole tournament and didn't do enough with those opportunities to move on. That is what is extremely frustrating and at some point falls at the feet of the players and eventually the head coach. Just a bad time to play some of their worst rugby of the year.

You make your own luck so the calls that went against them are no excuse. Very proud of the effort the boys put in but disappointed with the results. Either way the future is still bright for the US.
 
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wadc45 said:
Honestly my text after the game to my counterparts was [US Head Coach] Mike Friday has some explaining to do. Granted, he and Alex Magleby have raised this program to a level never seen before. But there are definitely some questions that need answered about tactics in this tournament. The USA constantly find themselves giving up a late score to end the half/game that proves crucial. To me that goes back to the man in charge and his staff. That coupled with no one stepping up and making the onfield adjustment to Fiji's counterucking in the first half was maddening. And like I said the restart plays were slow and predictable. Gave Fiji time to adjust to what was in front of them rather than using our speed, playing fast and putting Fiji under duress, where they struggled all day.

I would never blame a loss on a ref but there was a questionable call in the Argentina game [their try that clearly looked like a knock on replay] that didn't go our way and turned out to be a killer. The missed knock in the Argentina game put them up 12-0. The US battled back and took a lead 14-0 thanks to multiple yellow cards against Argentina but then on the ensuing restart kick Niua hooked one badly that didn't go ten, we pick up a couple of penalties and they score in the corner for the win. Why are we not kicking deep there when up 14-12 with a minute to play? Why is he trying to kick short? Why not make them go the length of the field? Is Friday not involved in that decision...he certainly has time during the conversion kick to convey any strategy changes? Overall, the US never got in rhythm in that game...Isles and Baker never got the ball in space and the US at times played right into Argentina's style of keeping things close to the middle of the field and staying in contact.

The no call on Fiji when Barrett had both knees on the ground also proved to be a killer. But the US was put at an advantage via yellow cards throughout the whole tournament and didn't do enough with those opportunities to move on. That is what is extremely frustrating and at some point falls at the feet of the players and eventually the head coach. Just a bad time to play some of their worst rugby of the year.

You make your own luck so the calls that went against them are no excuse. Very proud of the effort the boys put in but disappointed with the results. Either way the future is still bright for the US.
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I didn't understand anything that you said, and yet I want to learn more.
 
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jebussmurf said:
I didn't understand anything that you said, and yet I want to learn more.
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Haha...you aren't the only one. The mainstream coverage of sevens (both men's and women's) in the Olympics has been phenomenal (see below). Hoping this plus the recently concluded domestic PRO Rugby league helps springboard the sport to even greater popularity:

13925071_10154353194222856_6527890807449165734_n.jpg


Rugby sevens is actually the best sport at the Olympics - USA Today

Seven reasons Olympic Rugby Sevens is your new obsession - Yahoo

Will Women’s Rugby Be the Next Women’s Soccer in the U.S.? - Vogue

If You Missed USA Women’s Rugby, Re-Think Your Life - CBS St. Louis
 
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Of course, everything the coach said above is correct and, still, had Nate been able to move the ball toward the center on the try to give us a better conversion kick, we slip into the quarterfinals with a 3-point loss instead of 5-points.
 
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I would guess that he could, assuming that the Pats give him enough time off to work on it. That's going to be the problem, though. I see this as a one time thing. We'll have younger players participating in the World 7s Series every year who will make up the squad.
 
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