Mike Friday has been around Rugby World Cup Sevens before, both as a player and a coach in the men's game, but he is now putting his considerable experience to use with a different team. Same badge, same purpose, different changing room.
Friday, or 'Geezer' as he is affectionately known, has chosen to channel his energies at this World Cup into the women's game, lending England's lady hopefuls and their coach Simon Amor the benefit of his experience.
The first stage in Friday's Rugby World Cup Sevens education came in 2001, when he captained England in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The tournament will always be best remembered for Jonah Lomu's starring role in powering New Zealand to glory, but for Friday it helped clarify the stark difference between being in and out of contention.
"We had a highly talented team on the pitch but we weren't at the races in terms of organisation and preparation off the pitch and paid the price, which was one of my main drivers to get involved at the end of 2001, joining Joe Lydon as player/coach," said Friday.
By 2005 Friday was solely in charge of England with Amor captain and enjoyed several World Series successes, notably in winning four consectuve Hong Kong Sevens titles.
Hindsight
At the 2005 event England were desperately close to reaching the pinnacle and he still thinks back to the semi final against Fiji, when Ben Gollings had an injury time drop goal conversion to win.
"At the time I nearly sent a message on for Simon to take the conversion, the rationale being that the conversion was on the left side of the pitch and favoured the right-footer. We were spoilt in the team as we had a left-footer in Ben and a right-footer in Simon, both unbelievable at conversions.
"Simon had just scored the try to level and it did run through my mind to ask him to kick the conversion, but I didn’t follow it through as Ben had been kicking so well throughout the tournament. Before the tournament we had also made the decision that Ben would be the starting kicker with Simon as back-up.
"Critical moments or hindsight.. Ultimately it came down to inches and unfortunately it was not our day and that is the harsh reality of professional sport."
Change of focus
For the last two years, Friday has chosen to re-enter the corporate world with property advisors DTZ. But when the chance came to work with England's women at this World Cup, he jumped at it.
"I wanted to understand and see how coaching, communicating and dealing with women would be different to men and I was sure a lot of this would be transferable back into my business life," he said.
"I also had the opportunity to join up and work with, or for, Simon Amor! I am the old head, as he keeps telling me."
Like Amor, Friday has been hugely impressed by the women's game; not only how far it has developed in terms of skill level, but also in the professionalism and commitment shown by the players.
"They really are a fantastic group of girls with dedication and motivation you would expect from the professional men’s game," Friday added.
"The difference being that these girls are amateur players. They work all day and sacrifice so much of their lives to their training and playing in the evenings and at weekends.
"I have been so impressed by the technical skills and some of these girls are as good for example at passing the ball as the boys, Rachael Burford and Alice Richardson being two of them.
"We have forwards like Maggie Alphonsi, Heather Fisher and Emma Layland whose technical application at contact and ability to get their body positioning strong and accurate to turnover ball is excellent.
"We also have wheels - our very own Tom Varndell and David Strettle equivalents in Kat Marchant and Michaela Staniford. This squad of girls can play."
Winning with England
Most of all, though, Friday yearned to be involved because he is so passionate about England winning.
"When asked if I was up for the challenge of winning a World Cup for my country with a group of great girls, it didn’t take me long to say I'm in," he said.
There are, of course, many similarities between managing men and women at a top class event - environment, values, culture and preparation - but Friday maintains that it is the differences which are most interesting.
"Women are like sponges compared with the men. Their ability to take on information is at times unbelievable but with that comes the fact that they can sometimes over-analyse rather than play the game simply and trust their rugby instincts.
"Striking that balance with them has been very challenging at times for both Simon and me.
"Let’s hope that the inaugural women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens is the shop window their game needs to show the world that we really do now have a global multi-gender sport."
The favourites tag
Never having lost under Amor and Friday, England's women arguably travel to Dubai as favourites for the title, a tag the assistant coach is happy to shoulder.
"Winning is a habit and these girls are focused on the processes in performing and executing. They are prepared to play until the last second to win, as they have proved in both San Diego and Dubai.
"We do have the potential to win this tournament, as do a number of other teams. Both New Zealand and Australia are unknown to us and they have huge pedigree in the women’s game so I have no doubt that both these nations will be right in the mix.
"More pressing for us is our group with the USA and Russia who are extremely tough opposition. USA pushed us to extra time the last time we met and Russia were the surprise team at the Euros. I also feel that Canada and France will have a big say in this tournament"
