GRR: Sevens World Series
When Mike Friday made Madison Hughes the captain of the USA 7s team last year, there were, naturally, some concerns.
Hughes was young - still in college - was relatively new to the program, and, you figured, still had a lot to learn. Yet he has blossomed.
You always have to watch those 50-50 passes; as the saying goes, half the time they don’t work out.
Except when they do work out, we get all excited any everything.
The USA finished up the Cape Town 7s losing 29-19 to Fiji in the Plate Final.
It was an up-and-down Day Two for the Eagles, who finished the weekend 3-3, 6th in the tournament, and tied with Argentina for 3rd in the World Series standings after two tournaments.
Zack Test scored at the end of the first game of the Cape Town 7s to beat Wales and essentially ensure that the USA would get to the Cup Quarterfinals.
Wales were a tough test to start the entire tournament and led early 12-0. But Carlin Isles put in one of his all-too-familiar long-range tries to close the gap and then Brett Thompson went over just before halftime to tie the game.
Will Holder’s two-try performance in the 3rd/4th game win over New Zealand may not necessarily be the stuff of legend, but it was important.
The West Point grad has struggled to secure a spot in either USA national teams despite the odd cap, and his fans were happy to see him get a start, and then play well.