TOKYO (AP) — For rugby sevens veterans like Perry Baker, competing in the Olympics can involve a fine balance between gamesmanship and showmanship.
TOKYO (AP) — For rugby sevens veterans like Perry Baker, competing in the Olympics can involve a fine balance between gamesmanship and showmanship. Gamesmanship because his U.S. team is full of talented, athletic players, has been ranked as high as No.2 in the world sevens series and entered the Tokyo Games as a contender for an Olympic medal. Showmanship because they still need to market the sport in America. U.S. players including Perry, a two-time world sevens series player of the year, and Carlin Isles, the fastest man in the game, said an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games would put rugby more firmly on the American sporting map. They were oh-so-close to making the medal rounds. The Americans were leading Britain 21-0 on Tuesday, with Baker touching down twice, until the 2016 Olympic silver medalists rallied with four unanswered tries to secure a spot in the semifinals. “We’re gutted. Hugely gutted. Sevens is brutal — little moments, little referee calls go your way, don’t go your way,” U.S. coach Mike Friday said. “That’s the difference between being in the medal rounds tomorrow or not. Unfortunately, we’ve just fallen on the wrong side this evening.” Defending champion Fiji, New Zealand, Britain and Argentina, all long-established rugby territory, will contest the Olympic semifinals on Wednesday. The best the U.S. men can finish now is fifth. It’s an improvement from Rio de Janeiro five years ago, where they placed ninth when rugby sevens made its debut on the Olympic program.
