USA raring to get Sevens campaign underway
By Tom Chick
From Dubai
The USA women's team cannot wait to kick off their Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 campaign on Friday, with both captain Christy Ringgenberg and Ines Rodriguez insisting they are ready to challenge for the title after some intensive training sessions.
Fresh from their 17-12 sudden-death extra-time defeat by England in the final of the women’s warm-up tournament in San Diego, the women flew to Little Rock in Arkansas to begin focusing on the inaugural Women’s RWC Sevens.
“We went to Little Rock and we played the NZ Maori, and worked on our attack and we will look to keep it more fluid and open. We are quite happy with our defence so we are hoping to keep with that,” Ringgenberg said.
“It is a big honour for me (to captain the side). There are some extraordinary athletes and some extraordinary women on this team and so to lead them out is quite an honour and the fact that they respect me enough to follow me is amazing.”
Drawing inspiration
On Tuesday under the sun in Dubai, the USA women took part in a practice match against Brazil - the first women's side to qualify for RWC Sevens back in January 2008 - and Ringgenberg was full of praise for the South American champions.
“It was fun. They are quick and feisty and it was great to play with them.”
Ringgenberg and her team will need to hit the ground running on Friday as they face England, the top seeds and many people's favourites to be crowned world champions, in one of the standout matches across both tournaments.
Rodriguez is itching to get on the pitch but took time out to reveal the benefit of having the USA men's team, now being coached by her former coach Al Caravelli, in Dubai.
“Al was our national team coach when I first started and when I was first captain, and in 1998 he was our assistant coach. We do a lot of work together. He comes to our training sessions, gives us tips. We have a fairly good relationship with the men so it is nice to have both teams here cheering each other on."
Losing will give us experience
Brazil's Emily Barker is counting down the hours to kick off just as much as Ringgenberg and Rodriguez, and found the practice match beneficial. "It is one of the first times we play with other girls with pace, so it is good to know what to expect,” she said.
The Brazilians are the dominant force in women's rugby in South America, having extended their unbeaten run with a fifth consecutive CONSUR Sevens title on home soil in January.
Masterminding this success has been Barker's husband, Flavio Santos, although that does not mean she gets an easier time than the rest of the team.
“He (Santos) is hard working but he is a nice guy. He has set us quite high expectations – for me probably even worse but he is a great coach,” said Barker, whose side will face Spain, China and Australia in Pool A.
“I think losing is also gaining experience, so we are ready to face whatever comes, but we obviously hope to win as many games as we can.”
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