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For us Eagles, the potential gains help mask the pain of All Blacks defeat For us Eagles, the potential gains help mask the pain of All Blacks defeat
(about 1 hour later)
On Saturday, I saw why the All Blacks are world champions: they’re just ruthless, punishing any and every mistake you make. They ran in 12 tries against us in Chicago and the scoreboard ended up at 74-6 – I’d say half their points or more came from Eagles errors. They were just lethal.On Saturday, I saw why the All Blacks are world champions: they’re just ruthless, punishing any and every mistake you make. They ran in 12 tries against us in Chicago and the scoreboard ended up at 74-6 – I’d say half their points or more came from Eagles errors. They were just lethal.
In the locker room before the game, I couldn’t help thinking it was funny that just a couple of weeks before, I’d been playing for New York Athletic Club in a park in Boston. And now here I was, about to play at Soldier Field against the All Blacks.In the locker room before the game, I couldn’t help thinking it was funny that just a couple of weeks before, I’d been playing for New York Athletic Club in a park in Boston. And now here I was, about to play at Soldier Field against the All Blacks.
I’ve been working really hard on my fitness and I was feeling really good. But the pace and the standard of the game was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. In the back of my mind I knew that would be the case, and like the other guys I knew I just had to persevere. I think we did, and when we looked at each other in the locker room we knew we’d gone as hard as we could. We gave everything.I’ve been working really hard on my fitness and I was feeling really good. But the pace and the standard of the game was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. In the back of my mind I knew that would be the case, and like the other guys I knew I just had to persevere. I think we did, and when we looked at each other in the locker room we knew we’d gone as hard as we could. We gave everything.
And we learned so much – the game showed us where we need to be. If we could play the All Blacks every week we could learn quickly, even if it would be a painful kind of way to learn. Anyone wondering what the scoreline says about rugby’s potential in this country should take that into account: we sold out Soldier Field, we took on the best in the world, and we learned. American rugby can grow from here.And we learned so much – the game showed us where we need to be. If we could play the All Blacks every week we could learn quickly, even if it would be a painful kind of way to learn. Anyone wondering what the scoreline says about rugby’s potential in this country should take that into account: we sold out Soldier Field, we took on the best in the world, and we learned. American rugby can grow from here.
And in spells, we played well. We had some sustained pressure in their 22 and our handling and contact work was good. But we didn’t capitalise. It could be because New Zealand didn’t allow us to capitalise because they’re such a good team, of course, and it could be because we didn’t have the co-ordination there to do what we wanted to do. So now we have to apply those lessons on our upcoming tour.And in spells, we played well. We had some sustained pressure in their 22 and our handling and contact work was good. But we didn’t capitalise. It could be because New Zealand didn’t allow us to capitalise because they’re such a good team, of course, and it could be because we didn’t have the co-ordination there to do what we wanted to do. So now we have to apply those lessons on our upcoming tour.
We’ll play Romania, Tonga and Fiji and in Europe, and they will be big games for our World Cup preparations, games we can target for wins. It will also be more time together, although our Premiership players won’t be with us. It was great having them for the All Blacks game although, quite frankly, it would have been nice to have had a couple more days together as a squad. The week was good but we had guys flying in on Sunday night who I hadn’t seen, some of them, since June. We’ll play Romania, Tonga and Fiji in Europe, and they will be big games for our World Cup preparations, games we can target for wins. It will also be more time together, although our Premiership players won’t be with us. It was great having them for the All Blacks game although, quite frankly, it would have been nice to have had a couple more days together as a squad. The week was good but we had guys flying in on Sunday night who I hadn’t seen, some of them, since June.
Chicago has welcomed us; we’ve worked in schools and met supporters at a huge gala at Union Station. To see the kind of traction rugby is gaining in this country is just awesome. It makes you even more excited, especially for me looking at youth coaching and thinking of the opportunities for the kids that will be coming down the line. It’s been really cool.Chicago has welcomed us; we’ve worked in schools and met supporters at a huge gala at Union Station. To see the kind of traction rugby is gaining in this country is just awesome. It makes you even more excited, especially for me looking at youth coaching and thinking of the opportunities for the kids that will be coming down the line. It’s been really cool.
Mike Petri, the US Eagles scrum-half, won his 45th cap in the game against New Zealand. He teaches maths and coaches rugby at Xavier High School, in New York. Mike Petri, the US Eagles scrum-half, won his 45th cap in the game against New Zealand. He teaches maths and coaches rugby at Xavier High School, in New York