USA relishing Rugby World Cup experience
With just six weeks to go until the Rugby World Cup kicks-off we continue our look at the eight teams that won through the qualifying competition to reach New Zealand 2011.
The USA’s road to RWC 2011 was a far from straightforward affair and it began with a two-leg play-off against neighbours Canada in 2009. The home leg in South Carolina went okay, as Eddie O’Sullivan’s side took a narrow 12-6 lead into the second leg, but eventually fell to an aggregate 47-30 defeat to their rivals having lost 41-18 in Edmonton.
"It was a tough day at the office", said USA captain Todd Clever told Total Rugby. "It always is against Canada but we came away with a narrow win against them in the first one and then the next week we had them up in Canada.
"Things didn't go as well as planned. I remember we had a great week of training and it just didn't come together on the game day. We didn't do ourselves any favours with a red card about 15 minutes into the game, so we were down to 14 and it's a tough one."
The loss meant the Eagles had to face South America’s top qualifier Uruguay, again home and away, with the first leg being a tough trip to Montevideo and ending in defeat.
Cold ones
But they were far more convincing in the return match, with two first half tries easing any early nerves. Clever crashed over early in the second half to help ensure his side were home and dry and on their way to New Zealand to face Australia, Ireland, Italy and Russia in Pool C.
“There was a big crowd there [in Montevideo]," added Clever. "They came in numbers, it was very intimidating, but we went down there and played about 60 good minutes of rugby."
“In the last 20 we fell off and we lost narrowly and we had a challenge in hand for the next week when we played in Florida.
"It [qualifying for RWC 2011] hit us right after the final whistle and I brought the guys in and said the main group of this is going to carry us through to New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup, so it hit us right away. It was good to celebrate with a few cold ones with all the guys that had a long way to qualify for the World Cup."
Super powers
US coach Eddie O’Sullivan will no doubt be relishing facing his old team Ireland in their opening match in New Plymouth, which will be closely followed by a clash of the super powers four days later on 15 September.
"You’ve got to go into it with team goals of how you are going to do. Our first game is against Ireland on September the 11th. That’s going to mean a lot for the guys and we really want to put in a good show of how we are going to come and how we are wanting to play," said Clever.
"A quick turn around and four days later we have Russia. It will be tough, there’s going to be sore bodies, but there’s not going to be any excuses. When the whistle goes to play, that’s going to be a game where nothing is held back."
The US are busy preparing to play Canada in two warm-up matches, the first of which takes place this weekend in Toronto, before they then face Japan in Tokyo before departing for rugby’s greatest competition.
"I want them to go there and of course compete at the World Cup and put our best foot forward and put in four great performances," added coach O'Sullivan.
"But I want them to enjoy the whole experience of being in that particularly special environment. New Zealand is a rugby country but an actual World Cup in New Zealand is extra special and I think that it is important to get that experience because it will stay with you for the rest of your lives."