A ‘Great’ Americas 7s Side

With Olympic fever building by the day and the majority of sides now named, there is still the big reveal of the Great Britain team to come tomorrow. What a luxury to be able to select the best of three core sides on the HSBC Sevens Series to contest for a gold medal. Here at Americas Rugby News we got to thinking, what if we could do the same for the Americas?

Instead of simply picking the best players from the big guns – USA, Canada, and Argentina – we thought we should make it more interesting and choose a side truly representative of the Americas. Our task was simple yet challenging – select seven players from seven different Americas sides for one ‘Great’ Americas team. Below is our best shot. How did we do? Who would you pick?

PROP – Anton Petrowitsch (Chile)

Every successful sevens side needs an aerial specialist, and Petrowitsch fits that bill to a t. Tall, rangy, and athletic, the Chilean loose forward is exceptional at getting up over his opponents and winning vital possession at the restarts and lineouts. He’s not short of pace either. The 21-year-old missed out on the Americas Rugby Championship due to club commitments in Spain but was happy to represent his country in the qualifier events at Hong Kong and Monaco. One of Chile’s brightest young talents.

HOOKER – Gabriel Puig (Uruguay)

The captain of Los Teros 7s fills another crucial role – the tireless ball hunter. A back row forward in the XVs game, Puig is known for his work rate off the ball and all-round game. In a country where the full version is king and most players compete for spots in both national sides the 26-year-old is as close as it gets to a 7s specialist in Uruguay. Savvy, consistent, and a natural leader.

PROP – Fharid Samano (Mexico)

Where Petrowitsch is there to win the ball, Samano’s mission is to smash through walls. Big enough to play in the forwards but with the speed of a back, it’s in the wider reaches of the three quarter line where he is used in the full version. Samano eats up the ground with his huge strides and has the strength to break tackles or offload out of them. At just 23 years old he’s the type of player who could be a success story in PRO Rugby if given the opportunity.

SCRUMHALF – Lucas Duque (Brazil)

A difficult choice and likely the most contentious spot in the team. Our team needs some fancy footwork and few have quicker feet than ‘Tanque’. Diminutive but deceivingly strong and abrasive, Brazil’s captain is an inspirational leader every time he takes the field. Aside from a plethora of options elsewhere, Duque also faced hot competition from his teammate and one of his country’s emerging stars – the multi-talented Laurent Bourda-Couhet. Both will be key figures if Brazil are to cause an upset in Rio.

FLYHALF – Nathan Hirayama (Canada)

The playmaker position is a crucial selection and the first to be decided. Hirayama is our kicker and silky-smooth operator in the midfield. He can open gaps both with his footwork and passing skills, or put a cheeky one in behind the defense off either foot. A world class player on his day who will be sadly missed at the Olympics. He has no equal at his position in the Americas.

CENTRE – Bautista Ezcurra (Argentina)

Also capable of playing either halfback position, the younger Ezcurra is the kind of player you just have to find a place for. The former Argentina u20 captain is a gifted footballer with remarkable poise for a young man of just 21. He’s not the biggest but is a more-than-capable defender with textbook tackling technique that invariably ends with the man on the deck. His match-winning drop goal to beat New Zealand proved his temperament. A star in the making for Los Pumas in both codes.

WING – Perry Baker (USA)

There can be only one. The Eagles of course have the luxury of two scintillating finishers in Baker and Carlin Isles. It’s been Baker’s year, however, and his defensive progress and ability to win ball in the air make him indispensable to the team. The 30-year-old’s rapid rise to fame is a reminder of the massive potential buried in American athletics. Baker and Isles are just two, Nate Ebner a third. When more discover the wonder of the game they play in heaven, the world will watch in awe.