Lining up at the Rugby World Cup Sevens qualifiers in the Bahamas last year, Al Caravelli's USA side had plenty of questions to answer.
Could they justify replacing Canada as a core team on the IRB Sevens World Series? Would the players finally repay coach Caravelli's confidence and fulfil their vast potential?
In finishing top of the pile they managed to lay a few ghosts to rest and have since used the achievement as a springboard to grow in stature and become genuine challengers to the elite of World Sevens.
"In qualifying for the World Cup we accomplished a lot of our goals after joining the World Series as a core team," said Caravelli.
"We took Canada's spot [on the Series] and we were 3-2 in matches against each other in that IRB season, so we wanted to claim the NAWIRA (North America and West Indies) championship for the first time since 2001.
"We also wanted to be the North America number 1, so it was very important, it validated things for us."
When the draw was made for the men's competition in Dubai in March, the Eagles were given three very different pool challenges in France, Fiji and Georgia.
Keeping tabs on Fiji
"You can't take anyone lightly," added Caravelli, whose side is out to capitalise on their recent good form to impress their home fans in San Diego.
"I think we're very equal with France, they beat us in Dubai the last time we played them and they're a good team coached by Thierry Janeczek, who's been coaching Sevens as long as Gordon Tietjens. He's a wily fox and we'll have to play well.
"Georgia we can't take lightly either. We beat them pretty convincingly in George but we know we'll have to play well against them.
"And then there's Fiji. We play them first up, like we did in Wellington, and we either have to beat them or not let them run up a score.
"Before Wellington [where the USA pulled off a shock victory over the Fijians], our average score against them in the Series was about 45-5 and the top two teams in the World Cup pools don't automatically qualify for the quarter finals of the Melrose Cup, so our number one priority will be to win, but then if not to keep it close and beat France and Georgia to make the top eight."
Players primed for final challenge
While captain Todd Clever has played no part in either the NZI Sevens in Wellington or the USA Sevens, he is expected to return from playing for the Lions in the Super 14 to compete one final time at the World Cup to bring Caravelli's core up to full strength.
Stand-in captain Chris Wyles is also approaching the end of his Sevens career, having pledged to commit full-time to his professional club Saracens in the future, so the Dubai showpiece may prove to be a final swansong for some of Caravelli's leading players.
The coach is already bringing through a new generation of players, but he is also aware that this group offers him and the US a best ever chance of success on the biggest stage. With victories over Fiji and Australia in the past two tournaments, and a one-point loss against Series leaders South Africa on home soil, they are primed for a big effort in Dubai.
"I believe we have the players. Everything goes to the defence and I think if the players make tackles and we can control ball we can tangle with anybody.
"We have the talent to do it but the players have to believe in themselves and have the same confidence that I have in them that they can accomplish their goals."
Follow the US Eagles Sevens team in action on rwcsevens.com during the World Cup, and on irbsevens.com on 14-15 February at the USA Sevens in San Diego.
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