Mike Petri
The New York Times’ George Vecsey does a nice little post-mortem of sorts on the USA Eagles’ Rugby World Cup tournament by speaking with our scrumhalf, Mike Petri. Like most of Vecsey’s stuff, it’s worth a read.
Petri, a licensed stockbroker, was in the thick of the wonderful madness that is the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Now he’s back in his quiet life, New Zealand and the tournament a long way behind him.
USA Eagles arrive in Nelson
USA Eagles Head Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, has named his best possible team to face Italy at Trafalgar Park in Nelson for the Eagles’ final match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC). A win for the USA would mean automatic qualification for the 2015 RWC.
The match will be broadcast LIVE on Universal Sports at 2:30 a.m EDT (re-aired at 8 p.m EDT), and then will be shown delayed online 24 hours after the game. View the complete viewing schedule at UniversalSports.com.
In Pool C, Australia (3rd in world rankings) and Ireland (6th in world rankings) are on course for the RWC quarterfinals, with only two teams from each of the four pools advancing. The USA are currently ranked 17th and Italy are 10th in the world. The Italians have made tremendous strides in rugby since joining the Six Nations competition in 2000. Earlier this year Italy defeated France 22-21.
“We are very excited for this final pool match, and have several players fresh for the encounter. We have a very short turn-around following the Australia match in Wellington, and have planned accordingly,” said O’Sullivan.
The Eagles have impressed at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting with an inspired performance against Ireland on September 11. Despite losing 22-10, the Eagles won thousands of fans for a brave effort, scoring near full time through Paul Emerick. During that match, prop Mike MacDonald became the most capped USA player of all time with 63 appearances.
In the next pool match four days later, the USA defeated Russia 13-6 to record an historic win in the RWC. It was a bruising battle in which the Russians defended tremendously to keep the score line that close.
This past weekend fourteen changes were made to the team that won against Russia, as they faced Australia, winners of the RWC in 1991 and 1999. JJ Gagiano’s try against the Wallabies was one of the moments of the match at a packed Wellington Regional Stadium, with the majority of fans screaming wildly for the Eagles. Famous New Zealand commentator Murray Mexted said, “I’ve been to hundreds of matches in Wellington, and this is the loudest I have ever heard the crowd.”
Off the field, the USA squad has been heavily involved with the local communities in the various cities. This afternoon some of the players will attend the Tasman 7s, featuring 600 youth rugby players from many local regions. Tomorrow the Eagles will be at the Richmond Parade, meeting the Mayor as well as the US Ambassador to New Zealand, David Huebner.
On the field, Todd Clever returns to lead his country as captain. The flanker has been vital for the United States, devastating with both ball in hand and on defense. Louis Stanfill is the blindside flank with Nic Johnson at eight man, both possessing an outstanding work rate.
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Guest blogger, legendary Salty Thomspon, current USA All-American High School coach gives his thoughts on USA’s outstanding effort against Ireland and what to look for against Russia.
I was extremely proud of the US. The team defensive performance was truly magnificent. The Eagles were well prepared to disrupt and compete at the tackle, where Todd Clever set the example as a captain and the entire squad responded. The team held up against a strong Irish onslaught led by O’Connell’s mighty performance at lock.
Offensively Mike Petri did a good job putting the ball in behind the Irish while Paul Emerick took on the legendary Brian O’Driscoll and created such good go forward ball. The superior Irish scrum put us under immense pressure but we we won some quality line-out possession and the team pattern was effective, using hit up and decoy runners.
O’Gara made a difference when he substituted into the game putting us under pressure with his classic territorial kicking. However the Eagles also put pressure on themselves with turnover ball.
Obviously on 9-11 there was a unique feel to the day and its historic relevance.
The Eagles will go into the Russia game knowing they need to produce the same intensity and improve their first phase possession, especially the scrum. It’s a momumental opportunity and I believe the US can win by 10-12 points.
The USA Rugby Men’s National Team will honor those rugby men and women who perished in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by wearing a black armband and observing a moment of silence before their 2011 Rugby World Cup opener against Ireland on Sunday in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
USA Eagles vice-captain and Brooklyn, N.Y. native, Mike Petri, was a senior at Xavier High School in Manhattan when the attacks occurred and knows well the significance of playing on the ten-year anniversary.
Petri recalls the Twin Towers being there when he went to school and seeing a smoking pile of rubble when he returned home that day.
“Ten years ago, that was a dark day for everyone…you never forget something like that. It’s a huge honor for us to represent our country on that day. Hopefully we can do justice, in more ways than one, certainly, and connect with a lot of the rugby community in America that was affected,” Petri said.
- Mark-Bingham
Many members of the American rugby community lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 in the various attack sites. Many of them in New York, but perhaps most well-known were Mark Bingham, a former University of California – Berkeley rugby player and founder of the San Francisco Fog and Gotham Knights, and former University of Rochester (New York) rugby player and Judo champion, Jeremy Glick.
Bingham and Glick were on flight United 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pa., on 9-11. Hijackers took over the cockpit and aimed the plane towards Washington D.C.
Though the events onboard are difficult to confirm, it is widely believed that Bingham, Glick, and at least two other people rushed the cockpit in an attempt to regain control of the plane but in the struggle, the plane tragically crashed.
No one on board United 93 survived, but no one on the ground was harmed. If it weren’t for the heroic actions of Bingham, Glick, and others, the result may have been very different.
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usrugbynz.com sat down again with the legendary Salty Thomspon, current USA All-American High School and former U19, U20 coach. He’s fresh off a successful age grade tour of South Africa. The High School All-Americans would put up a 3-1 record during their trip. So, Salty gave us a quick recap:
usrugbynz.com: Salty, Congratulations on a successful HSAA tour in South Africa, despite some early hiccups, the boys seemed to do very well and your stern discipline has always been a major factor in shaping these young men into the rugby players they are today. As we look to the future success of age grade players, what kind of guidance and coaching do players have to look forward to as they move on past high shcool?
Salty: The USA Age Grade program had some outstanding coaches through its history including current Trinity College Head Coach Tony Smeeth and Glendale Raptors Coach Mark Bullock, assisted by current Eagles assistant Mike Tolkin. In fact Tolkin coached current captain Todd Clever when he played for the USA u19s in the 2002 World Juniors in Italy.
usrugbynz.com: Which other current Eagles XV players came up in the age grade program besides Todd Clever?
Salty: Vice captain Mike Petri and Inaki Basauri played in the 2003 World Juniors in Paris, Eric Fry in 2004 Durban, South Africa, James Paterson played in the 2005 World Juniors, also in Durban, then captained the team in Dubai in 2006 when Scott Lavalla made his debut and broke his neck against Uruguay.
Scott Lavalla and Shawn Pittman played age grade for three years, playing about a dozen internationals between the 2007 World Juniors in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and 2008 1st u20 World Juniors in Wales. That team also included 7s internationals Zack Test and Taylor Mokate. Also Nate Ebner and Thretton Palamo were in the 2008 u20s, now playing college D1 football for Ohio State and Utah respectively. Thretton was the youngest player in the last World Cup making his Eagles debut at 18.
usrugbynz.com: You had the chance to coach many of these remarkable players, even locally in Tempe, correct?
Salty: Correct. Former Tempe Old Devil, Tai Enosa, was the star of the 2009 World Trophy in Kenya, where the USA lost the final to Romania. Following that Tai shot into the Eagles 7s and 15s and has been in the squad for the past three years, and he’s still only 21 years old.
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