(Huw Evans photo)

Could you please describe for the readers the level of competition that your players faced in the tournament, and how you think those teams would have fared against our top club sides and our national side?

It is a fairly simplistic and misguided claim borne from emotion and passion rather than logic and rational thinking.

There is no doubt that age-grade rugby in the USA is making great strides. One must not forget that while we are getting incrementally better so are all the other rugby playing nations. So if everyone is getting better at the same time how can you rationally expect the USA U20’s to suddenly leapfrog opponents already established at this level?

In pool play at this year’s U20 Junior World Cup (JWC) the USA U20’s (#15 world ranking) were pitted against South Africa (#2 world ranking), Samoa (#7 world ranking), and Scotland (#10 world ranking). These world rankings were based off of results from the 2007 U19 Junior World Cup in Belfast. Being that the JWC moved from a U19 event (24 teams in two tiers of 12) to a U20 (16 teams in Tier A) event these rankings are important as for the most part the same players that took part in 2007 as U19’s would participate again in 2008 but as U20’s – barring injury, talent upgrade, and availability. A lofty goal of ours was to win one of the pool games targeting Samoa first and then Scotland using predominantly the best players on our squad at all times.

The primary goal of ours going into the tournament was to win at least one of the “positional playoff” games; regardless the outcome of the goal relating to the pool games as this would ensure we stay in Tier A for the 2009 event. Obviously to not win a pool game puts enormous pressure on you to win at least one “positional playoff” game. So again our approach was to field the best possible team and take it one game at a time. During these rounds we faced Fiji (#11 world ranking) and Japan (#12 world ranking). Incidentally, these same five nations are all currently ranked higher than their senior Eagle counterparts as well.

Important to note too is that the USA with its #15 world ranking also moved from Tier B play into Tier A for the very first time, never before having played at this level (either at a JWC or one-off test match). South Africa, Scotland, and Japan have always been Tier A competitors with Samoa being promoted to Tier A at the conclusion of the 2005 U19 JWC (their first entry into a JWC event) and Fiji after the 2006 JWC (their first entry into a JWC event).

One can see that to even record a single victory would be a huge challenge. The entire squad and staff are bitterly disappointed that we did not achieve a victory as we feel that we let at least one opportunity slip by.

In terms of preparation for the 2008 U20 JWC what we know is:

1. South Africa, after paring down selections had two training camps for their JWC squad and played four test matches against France (2 home and 2 away). In addition, these players played through the ABSA U19 Currie Cup tournament in 2007. Three players have played Springbok 7’s while two players have played Super 14 rugby. All play through the major provinces with some level of contract.
2.The Samoan JWC team had been in training since November 2007 with a match against NZ U20’s in May 2008.
3. Scotland, in Feb 2008 just completed playing in the U20 6 Nations Tournament against England, Ireland, Wales, France, and Italy. Incidentally, their next years U20’s (current U19’s) have already been in camp, played in scrimmages (e.g. versus Premier One champions Boroughmuir RFC) and a test match against Italy.
4.The USA U20’s have had their best preparation ever for an event of this nature but it is still a long way off in comparison. Multiple weekend assemblies to play collegiate opposition, a men’s D1 team, and an incoming collegiate touring side along with a 10-day tour to Ireland to play even stiffer opposition and finally, a one-off test against Canada. This still though is not adequate preparation but really assisted in paring down the selections, developing a team culture, getting players up to speed with patterns of play, and working on much needed technical improvements. While this preparation was excellent in building the team and pitting them against increasingly better opposition none of it compares to preparation matches against the likes of France and New Zeeland, a U20 6 Nations championship, or even U19 Currie Cup competition. Players have to experience the higher intensity, speed, and physicality of the game much more frequently. Unfortunately that level of competition on a week in and week out basis for this age group in the USA is non-existent, and a handful of weekend assemblies (while helping) falls a long way short.

At the age-grade level “wins” are not the begin all and end all data point of success.

Our Opinions:
Tier A is subdivided within by large gaps in skill and experience. The top 3 finishers at the 2008 event (NZ, England, and South Africa) are absolutely awesome and would give our senior Eagles a run for their money. These U20’s are as physical, as fast (or faster), more skillful, and are already more experienced at playing top-notch high intensity rugby. There is not much of a gap between them and the next 3 nations ( Wales, Australia, and France), which on any given day could beat the top 3 finishers. Players in these top 6 nations are all in professional HP programs, with many of them having played on the 7’s circuit, Super 14, Premiership, Currie Cup, NPC, or Div 1 matches in their respective countries.

The next grouping of Samoa, Argentina, Ireland, Scotland and Italy are not as good as those in the top 6. These countries have a successful history at the U19/U20 age-grade tournaments and are vastly more experienced than their USA U20 counterparts. Having said that, South Africa barely beat Samoa in a closely contested pool game that was one of the most physical encounters we have ever seen (at any level). The final grouping in Tier A comprises Canada, Tonga, Fiji, Japan, and the USA.

It is really unrealistic to have an expectation that the USA U20’s have a chance to beat any teams other than those in the final group mentioned above. Look at some recent results of this final grouping to really appreciate where the USA stands:

Canada has beaten the USA in the last two Freedom Cup games – in 2007 by 7 points and 2008 by 5 points. Some more history on this event; the USA won it 14-3 in 2004, never played in 2005, and lost 31-3 in 2006.
In 2007 Italy beat Canada (22-3), Tonga (8-6) and the USA (31-6).
Japan has typically been toward the bottom of Tier A for a few years (but not in the final relegation position) losing in 2007 to both Fiji (60-12) and Samoa (28-12).
Fiji beat the USA in 2006 (48-3).

While the USA is getting incrementally better, so are the other nations. The gap is narrowing in some cases but there is still a lot of work to do and there are as many nations stacked up behind us that are narrowing that gap too. Future USA U20 teams are going to have to be something really special to eclipse what this current squad has achieved.