*These are the sole views of the author and does not represent the views of riverside rugby. I have intentionally eschewed a game commentary to address broader issues.
The match today, or the mismatch as it where compels most knowledge rugby aficionado’s to summarily dismiss Coach Peter Thorburn’s recent and overly sanguine assessment that United States will be a top tier side in a decade. Events at St. Etienne against an inspired Samoan side clearly demonstrate these remarks to be spurious. After three games that included a tantalizing display of inventiveness against powerhouse England, at least until it was clear that the 2007 team bore no resemblance to the 2003 team, it has become clear that the Eagles are no better, I mean worse than both Georgia and Portugal. It is important to note that the Eagles were never going forward in the rugby world, and much to our collective horror, it appears that were are decomposing vis a vis other second tier rugby nations.
Salient Points WC 2007
It appears that the Eagles fighting spirit was loaded on a 747 and flown home along with Paul Emerick. They have not been the same side since his shadow darkened the doorway.
Takudzwa Ngwenya among others, could not tackle if you held a gun to his head, and let him get wrapped around the axles. He was like a good software program: User Friendly and GUI, Graphical User Intohisface. He should travel south of France over the Pyrenees into Spain, and become a matador. Scoring a tries are meaningless if the if the defensive edges are like Louisiana levies.
The fitness/ability of pack is so questionable that they are incapable of playing at a high work rate for at extended period of time, and started each match flat responsible for giving away ball and points early. When, on the rare occasion, they would run appropriate approach angles to the point of contact it appears that they can compete with the best, albeit ephemerally.
Generally speaking the backline had difficultly executing even the most fundamental aspects of play; passing (is a half volley or short hop a rugby pass?), linking (that often resulted from a bad decision and a desperate pass to a teammate not running at pace), recycling the ball (see earlier pathologies, and extrapolate) defense by any method including simple space defense ( Ole, Ole, adonde es me sangria), and losing vast amounts of territory on kick exchanges (pulling a knife in a gun fight).
In both the absence and most importantly the great unlikelihood of a professional league in the States perhaps USA Eagles should subsidize or augment salaries of young US born players willing to go overseas where they have an better opportunity to become better developed, and face considerably higher levels of competition. Also by subsidizing the contract of willing European clubs the Eagles could rightly ask for the early release of players to come to camp and improve team continuity which as it now stands in an abomination.