Glasgow not Moscow will go down as Alex Magleby's high watermark coaching the 7s Eagles, after the United States finished 13th at the past weekend's world championship.
Following an end-of-season rally which saw America vault Scotland to retain 'core' status for the 2013-14 Sevens World Series season, the US slumped to a 1-3, plate-quarterfinal exit from the quadrennial tournament. Close losses to archrival Canada and New Zealand appeared to exhaust the Eagles, who were overrun by Argentina 28-5 in the first knockout match.
Magleby's 16-month tenure, which began winding down last month after the 35-year-old announced his resignation, did not advance the 7s team commensurately with the ground gained over 2007-09. But neither did the program collapse in the wake of Al Caravelli's February 2012 firing, when Magleby was called in on short notice.
Though initially seeming reluctant to put his stamp on the 7s national team, Magleby steadied the faltering debut of USARFU's fledgling 'offsite' residency program at San Diego's Olympic Training Center, seen by union officials as America's gateway to the 'academy style' daily training environment popular among Commonwealth rugby powers.
In his only full season, Magleby's own selection of full-timers started slowly, after 4 tournaments tied with Spain for 14th. Peril lay in the IRB's new promotion-relegation system, which guaranteed automatic World Series berths only to the top 12.
By campaign's end, however, the Eagles played with the genuine purpose and aggression beloved of American rugby fans. Going into the final regular-season tournament tied with host Scotland for the last core spot, the Eagles captured the plate championship (i.e., fifth place), leaving the proud 'foundation union' to face relegation.
Then, at the end-of-year England 7s, the US reached a third consecutive plate final, and fourth winner's bracket appearance in five tournaments, surpassing archrival Canada to nab 11th place. Magleby, captain Matt Hawkins, and company had discovered how to deliver consistent results.
Off the field, Magleby's tenure saw the launch of so-called Olympic development academies, essentially privately run training programs for aspiring 7s players that interoperate with the national team.
More important, his position itself, along with Mike Tolkin's 2012 appointment to the 15s helm, allayed fears that foreign-born coaches would inevitably dominate plumb American rugby jobs.
A Dartmouth College graduate who represented the USA in both 15s and 7s before returning to coach his alma mater to several Ivy League titles and a pair of Collegiate Rugby Championships, Magbleby previously guided the Collegiate All Americans in both 7s and 15s, authoring a 2011 series victory over New Zealand Universities Under 21. The whole of his resume reinforces the view that deep domestic experience is vital to international success, that America's best test coaches first of all know the US game.
It does seem that Coach Magleby did accomplish a lot during his 16 months, congrats and thank you- on moving us forward.
Posted by: Craig | 02 July 2013 at 09:09
get ready for a funny talker. they're not all bad either, but thorburn, johnson, eos have all left a bad taste.
Posted by: next man up is a funny talker | 02 July 2013 at 15:04
Gollings I bet.
Posted by: East | 02 July 2013 at 15:20
And I'll add, for what it is worth, I think Magleby did a nice job.
Posted by: East | 02 July 2013 at 15:21
Friday, Hawkins, Serevi, Gollings in that order.
Posted by: Ompredictor | 02 July 2013 at 15:37
Gollings is the better bet.
Hawkins is not ready to coach at the head coach level. He's good, but he cannot yet take the men's 7s team to the next level. In a few years, perhaps, but Hawk has a way to go before that happens.
Wais has a business to run and has it moving in the right direction.
Still think it's Gollings. Best credentials. Knows how to score and score a lot.
Posted by: shut up and play! | 02 July 2013 at 17:12
Who is willing to be at the camp full time?
Thats your answer - this a 24/7 job and Mags couldn't commit.
I think he did a great job but he has a family!
Posted by: Johnny Rotten | 02 July 2013 at 21:34
Mike Friday or Ben Gollings would both be excellent options. Chances are they can persuade Serevi to join them for some cameo coaching spots at the very least.
On a different note, Kurt, your continual use of "quotes" and so-called is a really passive agressive way of writing. You might as well finish some of these articles with "I know you are, but what am I?", and "Nah-nah-nananah".
Posted by: Hugh Jorgan | 03 July 2013 at 05:15
Russell Earnshaw, might be a good shout for the job
Posted by: gerry | 03 July 2013 at 05:43
Thank you, Hugh Jorgan. Kurt's style of writing has always been passive aggressive and irksome. Writes like an ex with an axe to grind.
Posted by: Mike Hawk | 03 July 2013 at 06:29
Well, that's because he is an ex and does have an axe to grind (as most of us do when it comes to USA Rugby). That doesn't mean he's wrong.
Posted by: Duh | 03 July 2013 at 07:08
Mike Friday's out of the running for the US job. Word out of Kenya today is that he is staying there to finish the job he started.
KO presents many problems, but few solutions. Not all of the problems he presents are accurate in the presentation, on others, he doesn't dig deep enough to reveal what is really wrong. He does provide food for thought and interesting items for others to go digging for.
Does KO have an axe to grind? Yes, but that axe is worn down to the nub and needs to be replaced. Kurt has a good intellect that could be used to solve some of the rugby problems in the US, if it wasn't so busy exposing them.
Posted by: shut up and play! | 03 July 2013 at 08:40
The gap between the best US Club sevens and the international standard is huge. Even the best coach in the world would have a difficult time converting club player to international players. Elite players need better competition and more matches
Posted by: Deal with it | 03 July 2013 at 09:05
maybe they'll bring Al back?
Posted by: neva know | 03 July 2013 at 11:35
How about TB?
Posted by: neva know | 03 July 2013 at 11:35
I personally think Alex did an average job during his tenure. He had the luxury of a full time training facility with contracted players. This is something prior coaches would have dreamed about. He also was handed an individual of raw talent that any national 7s program in the world would be drooling over, but he decided to use him in the last minute or 2 of games when most were already determined. He should have turned Isles into a scrumhalf where he would get a lot of touches of the ball and causing a lot or defensive worries around the breakdown for opponents thus creating space wide.
Posted by: Coaching Changes Required | 03 July 2013 at 12:24
Isles is too raw a passer and too raw a 7s defender for that to have been viable. Maybe in a few years he'll make a good 7s scrumhalf (assuming he keeps playing a lot), but I don't think that would have panned out well this past season.
Posted by: East | 03 July 2013 at 12:42
It will never pan out unless he is coached by someone who plays him.
Posted by: Dumb Dumb U | 03 July 2013 at 14:16
Well I agree in part. He needs a lot more minutes, but throwing him into the IRB circuit at scrumhalf for entire matches isn't the best way to do that. Getting him time can't be done in a way that would hurt the performance of the USA team. The stakes are too high. He should be playing in the domestic competitions now (in the US or England or wherever). I hope he is/will be doing that. And if he is, that is where he should be playing every minute of every match at scrumhalf or hooker or wing or whatever.
Posted by: East | 03 July 2013 at 14:53
A few of National Club Sevens Qualifier Series have 5 tournaments with 5 matches each. That's just 25 matches each year. Many Qualifiers have fewer matches. How is Isles or any other elite player going to develop international standard sevens skills?
Posted by: Deal with it | 03 July 2013 at 15:01
That's true enough, but some teams play every weekend too, so that's more time (even if not in a qualifier event), plus Nationals. He could also participate in a few Atlantis or select side tours. Look, I get it, that's not a ton of minutes, but he will still be learning. That's where he should be trying new things because the cost of an error is far less. Isles seems like a good guy who is keen to learn, but it is not fair to him or, more so, his teammates and US rugby supporters, to throw him into situations were he will likely fail during the IRB series.
Posted by: East | 03 July 2013 at 16:03
I like Isles as much as the next guy, but he was a defensive risk Mags couldn't take. Not Isles' fault, just not been playing long enough. Mags was right in using him when he did.
Posted by: Mike Hawk | 03 July 2013 at 16:20
Mags' Olympic Develop Program call for over 50 elite matches per player. Only half of those matches are available domestically. Isles and a few hundred other elite athletes need more games. Then the US will have an elite player pool that a new coach can build on and pus hthe Eagles into the top 10.
Posted by: Deal with it | 03 July 2013 at 18:01
Off topic: You have to appreciate the hilarity of Pat Clifton calling out college players from Notre Dame, Penn State, and Northeastern for not being athletic as he did on the most recent ruggamatrix. "Couldnt play on his keg softball team." Dude is 10 pounds from requiring a wheelbarrow to get around. what an a-hole.
Posted by: college | 04 July 2013 at 05:24
That might be one of the funniest Gainline comments I've ever seen. It's even funnier in hindsight, since all three of those teams performed pretty well at the tournament.
Posted by: HAHA! | 04 July 2013 at 06:02
College
Nice one - not only is he a hotdog or two from a heart attack he got all his predictions pretty wrong too.
Penn State got to the Cup quarter finals, Notre Dame the plate final and Northeastern won the bowl. He also said that Virginia Tech might not score a try - they managed 9 despite having to play Cal and Kutztown in their group!
Nice one Pat - be looking for you at the Nathan's contest today?
Posted by: keg softball boy | 04 July 2013 at 06:19
fo real. guy looks like he is about to get a boulder rolled off a cliff onto him by the boys from Lord of the Flies.
Clifton: http://goo.gl/KS6sW
lord of the flies scene: http://youtu.be/zqrREfjDS-c
Seriously though, it's just unprofessional. You can either be a serious sports journalist or a bs commentator. Both are fine but you have to choose one. god help him if he ever tries to interview players from one of those teams
Posted by: college | 04 July 2013 at 06:21
Isles was a development project and soon became a gimmick for USA Rugby and the IRB to promote 7s to the American audience and to some extent the rest of the world all thanks to the power of YouTube and the mythology of the crossover athlete. Tell me what other IRB circuit core team has a player that their coach doesn't trust to start? None. The entire roster are potential starters selected based on the oppositions strengths, game plan and weather conditions. Total joke.
Posted by: Isles is a hype man | 04 July 2013 at 16:08
Clifton makes a strong point that some of the guys on these teams did not look like they belonged on the field. Clifton looks like many club rugby players I see. His point is still valid. I appreciate his comments.
Posted by: The Hard Truth | 08 July 2013 at 16:57
Whatever happened to the days when Rugby players played Rugby and d-bags played softball? Sorry but 20-25 years ago you would never compare playing rugby to softball.
Posted by: PeteM | 08 July 2013 at 17:50