USA Rugby has dismissed Women's National 7s Coach Ric Suggitt, effective immediately. A replacement is set to be named Wednesday, September 16.

The decision comes a few weeks after Suggitt reportedly was hired as rugby and basketball coach at Lethbridge University in Alberta, Canada - that job was, according to sources, slated to start after the 2016 Olympics, following Suggitt's assumption that he would not be retained after Rio 2016.

But according to USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville, that wasn't the reason for Suggitt's ouster; Suggitt taking the Lethbridge job may well have been a symptom of a deteriorating relationship, but there were other factors at play.

"The gap between the top four in the world and the USA is widening, and we need to narrow that gap," Melville told Goff Rugby Report. "We're going to the Olympics, and that's great, but we don't want to go just to go - we want to really compete and win a medal or be there competing for one. Ric has done a lot to help build the program. We've learned a lot about the game and the [World Series] circuit. But we have to close that gap."

Suggitt's current contract runs through the end of 2015, but, said Melville, if USA Rugby were to make a change, it's best to make the change now, rather than in the middle of the World Series season. Melville met with the USA players before the announcement was made, and said, "we have a really good pool of athletes, and a widening pool. We've got good players, it's just time for a change."

The USA Men's 7s coaching staff, including assistants Chris Brown and Phil Greening, will work with the Eagle women until the new coach is in place. One thing was made certain: The Eagle Women will not poach a coach from the USA Men's team. That, said Melville, would be counterproductive. 

In a statement today, Melville also said:

“I would like to thank Ric for his hard work and commitment to developing the women’s full-time program at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. It was not an easy decision to make a change but we have to become increasingly competitive against the top-three nations in the world in order to win a medal in Rio and any changes that we need to make have to be made now, not in 2016.”

Suggitt's Eagles almost qualified for the 2016 Olympics by their performance in the 2014-15 World Series. The USA finished tied on series points with England, in 4th place. But total points difference gave the spot to Great Britain (as represented by the England team). A few weeks later, the USA defeated Mexico 88-0 in the final of the NACRA 7s to book a spot in Rio. 

In the three years of the Women's Sevens World Series under Suggitt, the USA has finished 4th, 7th, and 5th. In the 15 tournaments played, they have never won a tournament, but have been runners up twice, and semifinalists three times. They have won the Plate four times and the Bowl once.