It comes down to Madrid for the USA Men's 7s team as they have to finish in the top four of the upcoming playoff tournament in order to return to the 2024-25 SVNS Series.

This has been a frustrating season for the USA. They have in almost every tournament put in a strong performance against a really good team, but also have put in a middling or poor performance against a middling or poor team. They desperately need to be consistent.

Fourteen players go to Madrid with Kevon Williams as captain but without Joe Schroeder and Maceo Brown, who are injured. They do bring veterans Madison Hughes and Stephen Tomasin (both getting to their 60th SVNS tournament), but the question is how the repeated squad changes are going to come together to provide consistent performances.

“To say we are disappointed to be in this relegation competition is a huge understatement but that is the reality of where we find ourselves as a pack after the topsy-turvy world of sevens and how this format works itself out," said Head Coach Mike Friday. However, while the format is weird (we've talked about how teams that lose in the quarterfinals are tracked to the placement games makes little sense), the Eagles have had full control of their destiny for a while. "Our squad is balanced with some real physicality to add to the power and speed normally associated with us. I am pleased with our focus and drive of the squad these last couple of weeks and we have no interest in looking back and are only concentrating on what is to come. We will have done our preparation on each of the teams we are to face and we understand what is required by us to be successful in this forma. The boys just want to get in the trenches and get on with the job.”

So this is what happens:

The Eagles will face Germany, Uruguay, and Canada. All of these teams provide a challenge and if the USA is not accurate, and don't make their tackles, they will be on the back foot. Uruguay has a history of causing the USA problems, and it's usually the same thing—falling off tackles against a physically strong team.

The teams play pool play and that seeds them for one game following the pool matches.

That one game is win and rejoin SVNS for 2025 ... lose and you don't. So the matchups are certainly important, but really it's that last game—show up for that last game.